Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 12:30 PM  Nintendo made an interesting decision with Mario Kart 8. They chose to make it so good, and so comprehensive, that it removed the need to make any more. It has now been over ten years since Mario Kart 8 first released, more than double the length that's ever come between an entry in the series before. Honestly, they… |
Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 11:15 AM  Severance has enough unanswered questions and detailed fan theories to make even the most faithful viewer concerned about the series ultimately sticking the landing. In a recent interview with Variety, series creator Dan Erickson gives reassurance that the sci-fi drama won't have an ending like the historically… |
Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 10:35 AM  Homes are meant to be spaces of comfort and happiness for families, a place where you seek refuge after a hard day's work. What happens when supernatural and unstoppable forces take over the place that is meant to be your sanctuary? How can you escape when this is where you are meant to stay? These spectres–often… |
Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 9:30 AM  Collateral damage in the TikTok clusterfuck has been hit mobile deckbuilder, Marvel Snap. Still going strong since it was all we could think about at the end of 2022, the Marvel-licensed game created by Ben "Hearthstone" Brode and his team at Second Dinner has been offline in the United States since TikTok went down… |
Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 9:00 AM  There are certain games that become so famous for not being released that it occludes almost everything else about them. Following the likes of Duke Nukem Forever and Half-Life 3, after years of no news, no trailers, no nothing, Hollow Knight: Silksong has now very much become the go-to example of gaming vaporware.… |
Kotaku Monday, January 20, 2025 8:30 AM  For decades, politically minded action movies often involve the President of the United States (fictional ones, usually). While most POTUSes need to be rescued from evil terrorists or rivals, there are times when the Big Cheese takes matters into their own hands. You don't get to win the Electoral College without… |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 1:28 PM  Settling down for a quiet evening of Command and Conquer back in the day was brilliant - well, it still is brilliant, in truth - but playing your friends or other random players online was where the RTS game really shone. It paved the way for competitive strategy games, and now you can (briefly) get a taste of that magic all over again with the new multiplayer demo for Tempest Rising, the upcoming strategy game that is as close to a new C&C game as you're going to get. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tempest Rising announcement, The best RTS games, The best PC strategy games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 1:17 PM  Manor Lords continues to go from strength to strength. The medieval strategy game and city builder hybrid has been out in early access for almost a year now, and each update added is even more game-changing than the last. For developer Grzegorz 'Greg' Styczeń, these massive updates are a very conscious choice. So if you've been periodically coming back to Manor Lords with every huge update, that system is going to continue going forward. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Manor Lords early access review, Best strategy games, Manor Lords system requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:33 PM  While we eagerly anticipate the final release of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 at the end of January, we thought we'd give you a taster of what to expect in terms of physical hardware, as we have a card in the labs right now. The new graphics card comes in a much smaller box than all the RTX 4000 cards, and inside it you'll find a svelte and slimline card as well. We can't definitively tell you if the RTX 5090 is indeed the best graphics card right now, but we can at least show you the card itself. Nvidia has really gone to town on the physical design, implementing a brand new flow-through cooling system that means the new flagship card only takes up two slots. It's positively tiny compared to the RTX 4090, as you'll see in a minute. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:24 PM  Do you love the idea of sinking hours into a fantasy RPG? Perhaps you like the sound of climbing gigantic beasts and hitting them in their weak spots à la Shadow of the Colossus? Well, Dragon's Dogma 2 should be the perfect game for you, and with this new Fanatical sale, one of 2024's best role-playing games is at its lowest price yet. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 review, Dragon's Dogma 2 vocations, Dragon's Dogma 2 map |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:23 PM  The long-running saga that is high-end Nvidia graphics cards bursting into flames due to either bad quality or badly connected 12VHPWR power cables is one MSI is hoping to draw to a close with its new power cable adapters. Able to connect to and provide sufficient power to run an RTX 5090, the new MSI power supply cables feature a simple but clever addition of yellow tips to help gamers know if the cable is securely seated enough to prevent self-toasting. Despite being largely the single best graphics card available since its launch, the RTX 4090 has been beset by regular instances of users finding the Nvidia card has either caught fire, started to smolder, or at the very least melted due to its power cable, which is what MSI is hoping to avoid with its new design. Continue reading MSI wants to help you not set your gaming PC on fire MORE FROM PCGAMESN: MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon AC review, MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio review, Best gaming motherboard |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:12 PM  I love finding, playing, and sharing videogames that involve ancient history. Whether it's sailing the seas of the Aegean in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, making tactical decisions in Total War, or even getting to know the Greek gods in Hades, there are a lot of ways to explore reinterpretations of the past. Today, another contender joins the fold. Yield! Fall of Rome combines quick thinking and strategy on a scale that rivals even Civilization, and it's available on Steam now. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Turn-based strategy games, Best 4X games, Best strategy games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:28 PM  What are the Infinity Nikki banners? There are a ton of outfits to find, earn, and buy in Miraland, but truly unique outfit pieces can only be found in banners. Aside from their striking looks, banner-exclusive pieces can help you achieve a perfect score in styling challenges. So, if you're overdue for a wardrobe refresh, let us walk you through the banner system. Infinity Nikki takes its cue from acclaimed gacha games like Genshin Impact by offering limited-time banners, otherwise known as resonances, that feature exclusive outfits. Not only do we have a full list of the RPG game's latest banners, but we've also included banner odds and how resonances work for new stylists. Remember to redeem the latest Infinity Nikki codes for more banner currency to complete your favorite outfits. Continue reading Infinity Nikki banners - next and current banner schedule MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Infinity Nikki codes, Infinity Nikki banners, Infinity Nikki events |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:42 PM  How do you access the Elden Ring Nightreign beta? The Lands Between beckons us once more for a standalone co-op adventure that introduces a roguelike loop into FromSoftware's formula. Playtests are the perfect opportunity to get early access and discover if a dedicated multiplayer version of this landmark RPG is for you. If you can't wait for the Nightreign release date, you're in luck – the first Elden Ring Nightreign closed beta is on its way. Given FromSoftware's track record with beta periods, this might be your only chance to play the soulslike game ahead of launch. Thankfully, the Nightreign network test sign-up process is straightforward, so here's how to secure your participation. Continue reading Elden Ring Nightreign beta start date and how to sign up MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best soulslike games, Elden Ring review, Elden Ring Nightreign release date |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:51 AM  Nvidia has hinted that its DLSS Frame Generation technology could in fact work on its older graphics cards, potentially bringing huge leaps in frame rates to aging hardware. However, if and when that support comes is for "the future" to decide. Nvidia launched its latest version of DLSS Frame Generation alongside the reveal of its latest RTX 5000 series of graphics cards, led by the RTX 5090. The new version, DLSS 4, incorporates a range of updates to existing DLSS technologies but the primary addition is DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation, which allows a graphics card to generate up to three frames for each conventionally rendered frame with AI, resulting in huge boosts to frame rates. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:40 AM  Escape From Tarkov is still the first game that leaps to mind when you think of extraction shooters, and Battlefield - especially the superlative Battlefield 3 - has the best reputation in terms of sheer scale. But as Delta Force Season Two arrives on Steam, it's clear that the competition for PC's favorite tactical war shooter has a credible new contender. Multiplayer FPS games often have a short lifespan. Spectre Divide, Battlebit, and even The Finals have struggled to maintain an enthusiastic player base. But Delta Force seemingly has staying power, and it's just hit a new Steam record. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Delta Force guns, Delta Force operators, Delta Force loadouts |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:38 AM  January 20, 2025: We've added the latest Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls and tokens. How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links January 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:32 AM  AMD has apparently priced its elusive new Radeon RX 9070 gaming GPU range too high to compete with the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 series, which is reportedly the reason why there's no word on the specs, price, or release date yet. The new AMD Radeon RX 9070 graphics cards were announced at CES with curiously little fanfare, despite plenty of graphics cards from various manufacturers being on display. The reason, according to this rumor, is that the company is now stuck in a pricing quagmire as retailers already have stock of the cards. While Nvidia is expected to take the award for the absolute best graphics card when the RTX 5090 release date arrives shortly, we were hoping that AMD would at least be able to answer the RTX 5070 with a competitively-priced alternative. However, given Nvidia's current dominance in the market, AMD is going to have to price the new Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT very competitively. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:05 AM  January 20, 2025: We added one new, limited-time code. What are the active NBA 2K25 codes? It's another year in the NBA 2K calendar, and as is tradition there are plenty of freebies to collect. Over the lifetime of each game in the storied basketball series, 2K dishes out a slew of locker codes that can be punched in, rewarding you with everything from free packs to top-rated stars as the season progresses. In NBA 2K25, you can expect a similar slurry of goodies to come your way, helping you make the most of your time in the sports game. Of course, NBA 2K25 locker codes don't last forever, so you'll have to act fast when a new code does pop up. Fortunately, we're keeping our eagle eyes eagerly on the latest codes, which you can find below. Continue reading NBA 2K25 codes January 2025 - all locker codes MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sports games, Best multiplayer games, New PC games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 12:19 PM  Following media previews, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has been embroiled in nonsensical controversies, first for its inclusion of Black characters, and then for its allegedly unskippable queer romance scene. With rumors spreading that its pre-orders dropped as a result of its diverse cast, Warhorse co-owner Daniel Vávra has been quick to speak up and correct the narrative. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPG games, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 release date, Best medieval games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 10:32 AM  Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games is apologizing to players for slow support response times since the ARPG's early-access launch. The studio adds that it's had a backlog of over 500,000 email requests to get through since before PoE 2 was even released, but that the support team has been expanded to make up for demand. GGG acknowledges that players "deserve better customer service" than what it's been providing, while promising to do more. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Path of Exile 2 builds, Path of Exile 2 classes, Path of Exile 2 quests |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 10:08 AM  What are the best Minecraft house ideas? Here, you'll find some of the best Minecraft houses to inspire your next creation. There are many themes and materials at your disposal in 1.21, so we've dug deep into the Minecraft house designs available to set you on your way to creating your dream home. As you play one of the best PC games of the decade, whether you're an adventurer, builder, or Redstone engineer, you still want a nice, cozy home to go back to at the end of a busy day. While constructing your perfect Minecraft house is a time-consuming venture, nothing beats that feeling of returning to the safety of your home in the survival game, pockets full of treasures from a day of exploring. Whether or not you boost the look of your builds with Minecraft shaders or texture packs, these Minecraft house designs will look stylish in any world. Continue reading 67 of the best Minecraft house ideas for 1.21 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 10:21 AM  For me it's straightforward. The worst Resident Evil games are RE5, Resident Evil 7, Village, and RE Zero. But I'll concede that I'm an outlier, the kind of edge case who thinks that the remake of Resident Evil 3 is better than the 1999 original. For most fans of Capcom's survival horror series, the most difficult-to-love game is, and perhaps always will be, Resident Evil 6. Perhaps its reputation has thawed in recent years, and I think we can broadly agree that at least the Leon Kennedy section is good. Nevertheless, new evidence means there's reason to believe that RE6 is coming back. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best co-op games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 11:34 AM  What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates. Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some free Monopoly Go dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started on the next Monopoly Go tournament. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 9:32 AM  What are the best Minecraft seeds for 1.21? If you thought the Minecraft generation was random, think again. Well, technically it is, but that RNG is saved under a Minecraft seed which can then be replicated time and time again. If you or your friends have found an incredible seed, you can restart it or share it as much as you want. That's how some of the best Minecraft seeds are found. With the right Minecraft seeds, you can live your every fantasy in the beloved sandbox game. With the seeds we've shared below, you can find Minecraft villages at spawn and easy-access strongholds for speedrunning, beautiful landscapes for building, or rare structures for looting. We've even discovered many of these Minecraft seeds ourselves, so you won't find them anywhere else. Given the infinite nature of Minecraft seeds, we've scoured the internet and tested our own to find the coolest and most demanded seeds. Continue reading The 59 best Minecraft seeds for 1.21 January 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 9:48 AM  Want to know how to build a gaming PC with your own choice of components, but don't know where to start? Whether you're new to the wonderful world of PC building, or you're just a few years out of the loop, you've come to the right place. If you're unsure which PC components you should be using, check out our guide to the best graphics card, as this it likely the most expensive part of your build and the first place to start when thinking about your budget. Also check out our best gaming CPU guide to find the best processor to accompany your GPU of choice. Once you've chosen the specs that best meet your needs, read on to find out how to put it all together. Continue reading How to build a gaming PC in 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 9:17 AM  If you've been holding out for a bargain before refreshing your keyboard, then it might be time to take advantage of this gaming keyboard deal, where you can save half the price on a Corsair K70 Pro Mini from Best Buy. This keyboard is discounted by a huge $90 right now, giving you a great 60% keyboard with hot-swappable switches and a light aluminum frame for a very reasonable price. As we found in our Corsair K70 Pro Mini review, the price was one of the biggest stumbling blocks for this wireless keyboard, while other aspects, such as the multi-wireless modes, gained praise, as did the superb build quality. However, that price criticism is now moot in this deal, making this Corsair model one of the best gaming keyboard options you can buy right now. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Corsair HS80 Max headset review, Corsair M75 Air mouse review, Best gaming keyboard |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 9:01 AM  If you love Hades as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to keep an eye on Sworn. The upcoming action roguelike trades the Greek pantheon for medieval fantasy, and it's shaping up to be one of the best-looking entries in the genre this year. Set in a fallen Camelot where a corrupted King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table reign supreme, it's up to you to craft the best builds to take on the land's royalty. We really don't have long to wait either, as the early access launch and an open demo are mere weeks away. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best fantasy games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 9:00 AM  Whenever I see Age of Empires or Command and Conquer, there's a part of me that thinks 'this is how all videogames should look.' Those scaled-down, miniature buildings and units. The bright colors. The symmetry. It's like looking at a perfect, supremely detailed model. Firefly's Stronghold series is just as gorgeous - but the second and perhaps best game, Stronghold Crusader, is about to look even better. Almost a quarter of a century since it was originally released, Crusader is about to make a valiant return courtesy of a high-definition remake with new units, enemies, maps, and modes. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best 4X games |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 8:09 AM  January 20, 2025: We have marked five previously working Blox Fruits codes as expired. What are the new Blox Fruits codes? We've compiled a regularly updated list of all Roblox Blox Fruits codes to redeem in-game freebies like XP boosts, free Beli, and stat resets for your pirate adventures. Need a boost to take on the increasingly tricky competition? We've got you covered. Blox Fruits is one of the biggest Roblox games ever, thanks to its fun, anime-inspired pirate action. That said, it can be challenging to find new free codes, so we've done the hard work and listed all the active Blox Fruits codes in 2025, including for Update 23, in one handy place below. Once you're up to date on the new Blox Fruits codes, consider checking out our ultimate Blox Fruits guide or our in-depth Blox Fruits tier list for the current meta. Continue reading Blox Fruits codes January 2025 - free XP and money MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, January 20, 2025 8:01 AM  What is the Avowed release date? Obsidian Entertainment is back with another world to explore and a thrilling adventure to make your own. Featuring a separate story to Pillars of Eternity but set in the same universe, Avowed begins with you being ordered by the Emperor of Aedyr to travel to the Living Lands on their behalf. If you aren't familiar with Pillars of Eternity, Obsidian's fantasy game series, Avowed lets you explore the world of Eora from a different perspective as a dreadful plague threatens to destroy the Living Lands. If you're excited about the RPG game like we are, here's everything we know about the Avowed release date, as well details about its story, setting, and gameplay. Continue reading Avowed release date, story, trailers, and latest news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Avowed release date, Best RPG games, Best story games |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 20, 2025 11:44 AM  Cyclopean: The Great Abyss appears to have glorious dungeon graphics but I can't say for sure because I can't get torches to work. I think your character is supposed to kindle them automatically when you venture into a dungeon - at which point the view switches, classic Ultima-style, from top-down into first-person. My character never deigns to light a torch, however. Possibly this is because, no matter how many torches I loot or buy from the underworld's infrequent traders, my character page always tells me I have none. Is my character eating them? Are they too afraid to light them and expose what those dungeons contain? Do I need to read the manual properly? Or is it just a bug? |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 20, 2025 11:04 AM  An unannounced "PvE Action RPG" set in one of Games Workshop's fantasy properties was apparently in development until being cancelled late last year, according to a new report from mp1st. News of the project was pieced together by mp1st from several LinkedIn profiles belonging to former employees of studio Thought Pennies. Different sources alternately describe the project as a "multiplatform, social role-playing game" and a "fantasy live-service RPG", although it's possible these refer to different projects from the same time period. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 20, 2025 8:13 AM  Please excuse the eyeball jelly. I've just got done tearing my face away from the screen it was attached to by the glitter and amphetamine-infused superglue secreted by Mindwave's minigame barrage. The current Steam demo is a generous slice of a wonderful thing its developers describe as a "cerebral microgame frenzy". It's the sort of thing you play for five minutes before realising, not unpleasantly, that you are most definitely inside of it now. It has wrapped you all up, and it's going to be quite difficult to escape. Trailer below: |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, January 20, 2025 7:24 AM  Isn't Straftat a pleasing word to say? Straftat. It almost demands an angry bark, an accusatory finger. Straftat! The bite-sized two-player shooter was one of our favourite games of last year, summoning the fast-paced killthrills of ancient Quake servers as much as the quickfire 1v1 scraps of the gulag in Call of Duty: Warzone. And now it has a bunch of new maps. Not content with making the powerful pew-pew 'em up completely free (WHAT), the developers have added new weapons, features and a further 30 bullet-pocked arenas. And look, an icy and divisive fan-made map of ye olde Counter-Strike appears among them. |
Siliconera Monday, January 20, 2025 12:00 PM
S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch is a stirring exploration of the online juggling act of communication and the ways in which we can weave several different versions of ourselves online. It's an endless series of masquerades as we pretend to be someone else or do what we can to shape people's opinion of us into something different. Within those explorations is a sharp look at the pieces of the self that still pierce through even when we pretend to be someone else, and how we seek those true connections in systems that allow us to cloak everything about who we are. But will we ever know if those connections are true or just part of what someone else has put together for us?
Miki has two different jobs. They work as an architect as their day job, but do some freelance work as an "online mouthpiece" on the side when they can. Both jobs require some chatting online within the game's framework in order to keep up with their employment. They also need to do so to keep up with their personal life, as being trapped working two jobs means that Miki rarely has time to talk with people in real life. So much of the game will be spent looking at Miki's computer screen and whipping through their online feeds while keeping up with the various chats that form their life.
The way you do this is very satisfying in S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch. Largely, you're typing out responses while you talk back and forth with the people in your life. You do this on a big old computer monitor from over a decade ago, flitting between chat windows as if you're on old ICQ or some equally ancient chat system. You have a list of people who are online or not, and the option to respond to them as they speak to you or to start up your own conversation. When you do have something to say (the game will tell you when Miki can respond), you do so by actually typing on your keyboard. The keys you press don't matter – you just have to type on the keys to form their response. This gives the feel of genuinely typing back and forth, and added a lovely tactility to responding.
Where this all gets interesting is that the timing of your response matters. When you're replying to a question from your boss at the day job, a parent who has some concerns about your life, or one of the many people you meet while pretending to be someone else for the online mouthpiece gig, you need to respond within an unknown amount of time or else the conversation may move on or the person's opinion on you may shift. If you get caught up helping someone figure out if their partner is cheating on them and you neglect replying to your friend who's talking about moving away, you can permanently do some damage to that friendship and possibly miss a chance to say goodbye. If you neglect the client, you might not be able to complete your job, put them in a bad situation with an employer, or blow their chance at success. Everything is on the clock, and you never know how much time you have.
You can't just hammer out a response to keep the chat going in S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch, though. You have to take the time to read the chats, and these come in at (what feels like) realistic intervals. You're not just given huge blobs of text with everything you need to know. You watch these chats come in and slowly take in the pieces of what the person is saying while other chats can be running as well. If you take a few moments to read one, that's time you spend ignoring another. You can't just flit between them and speed read, as you often have to respond in some way to get them to progress. You have to be paying attention despite the game going out of its way to pull your specific focus in particular directions. The end result is that you choose where to put your focus and have to deal with the consequences. And as I said above, those consequences can be big.
The effects you have on the people you meet aren't all by omission, though. As an online mouthpiece, what you choose to say can have drastic effects on someone's life. When an employer starts harassing an employee, do you post the chat logs in the main employee chats? If someone is being cruel to your client in one of their private chats, do you step in to try to make it right? Do you shirk all of these things to respond to the people in your life to help them with problems? Do you concentrate on your architect work to help keep your main job going? Chase your own passions and ignore everyone? There is so much to decide every few seconds with how you respond and who you choose to respond to, loading this genre with an electrifying sense of consequence in every little interaction with its story.
You also have specific choices you can make within a conversation in S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch as well. When you choose who you'll respond to, you also typically have an array of things you can say in reply. You have to type to have these fill in, then shift between two or more answers that can take the conversation in different directions or have immediate consequences for you or your client. So, while you're rushing to respond to different people, you need to slow down and take a look at how you reply (sometimes in quite detailed ways) to make sure you're taking things in a direction you want. The game asks you to slow down and speed up at the same time, adding to that sense of urgency within the story.
It doesn't hurt that this game features an excellent story that I found easy to lose myself in. While set in 2011, you exist in a world where life online is heavily regulated (what you're doing by pretending to be others online is highly illegal, but you need the money pretty bad). Cyber Life exist as AI beings that have feelings and thoughts of their own (and are even capable of reproducing whole other beings through mixing their data). I carried on more than one conversation with the Cyber Life that controlled a vending machine down the street, steadily growing closer over the course of the game as it slowly warmed up to me and my bizarre purchases.
S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch does a good job of doling out information about these things in roundabout ways, speaking about them through your online chats, your interactions with people, and posts on the game's social media. It feels more like you discover these details, so while they can seem a bit confusing at first, it felt more like organic discovery when I finally figured out the connections between my character and others as well as the overarching lore that shapes the world. I felt a little lost at first, but I enjoyed the natural discovery over having to read through some huge text dumps in a glossary or something. It's just enough information to figure it out yourself without getting lost. But you do need to pay attention – something you should be doing anyway.
Within these systems, Miki needs to be something different to everyone. You need to be a good employee for your architect job, a good child to your parents, a good friend, and whatever else you have to be within you side gig as the online mouthpiece. You slip from one identity to another throughout the game, keeping up appearances to your day job so they think you're working hard while secretly doing your illegal gig on the side. You continually juggle these different identities, transitioning from one to another as you work through each chat. Even though you're only typing responses in a chat window (and you only have so many to choose from), this slippery identity makes chatting exciting as you try to keep them all straight.
In the end, though, despite all of this, your real personality (depending on what you feel is important) will start to weasel its way out in S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch. Without meaning to, I started focusing more on helping my clients and overstepping the bounds of the conversations I was supposed to be having. I'd but into their personal lives to try to clear up problems. Make decisions that would have drastic effects on them. Secondly, after losing contact with a friend, I started prioritizing conversations with the friend I had left. My real job would get forgotten more and more. Without even thinking about it, I started injecting more and more of who I felt Miki was into how they acted even while I "should" have been acting in other ways.
All of this turns the game into this interesting, compelling look at the ways we shape ourselves online and how pieces of our real identity can still poke their way through. Without ever making the decision, I felt that Miki could help make life better for people in some way. It felt so much more fulfilling to reach into lives and try to do what I felt was right, but in doing so I often gave myself away to an extent, caused the client some pain, or even made a mess of Miki's life. Still, I was being true to who I felt Miki was, even as I was supposed to be pretending to be other people and doing the "correct" thing. In a game about keeping up with so many pretended selves, the real person inside just kept breaking free in my overarching actions.
S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch does have some minor flaws with its writing. The translation can be a bit messy in some places, resulting in some clunky language in spots, but I quickly lost myself in the fiction of the world and stopped caring about it. These come up fairly frequently, but I was too caught up in the story to be bothered with these errors.
Overall, S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch is a fantastic exploration of our lives online and in chat and how we try to shape ourselves into different beings to one another. It's about how what we prioritize in these communications can shape our lives in drastic ways (as well as the lives of others), and the challenges that come with having to be so many people to so many folks all at the same time. It's focus on the importance of who we prioritize in our online dealings, and the truths that can come out despite a need to be someone else, made me think more on my own dealings online and who I wish to focus on in my own digital life.
S4U Citypunk 2011 And Love Punch is available now on PCs.
The post Review: S4U: Citypunk 2011 and Love Punch Explores Our Online Identities appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, January 20, 2025 9:00 AM
Whether you've managed to get your hands on packs of the new elusive set or not, there are a lot of Pokemon TCG Prismatic Evolutions cards you might want! As always, though, it depends on why you want them. It's probably the card game with the highest percentage of collectors that never play, but hey, some of us do! Anyway, let's get into it, shall we?
The coolest Pokemon TCG Prismatic Evolutions cards
The first card we need to mention is the full-art Palafin ex. It's drawn by Tetsuo Hara, the co-creator of Fist of the North Star, and it shows a wild spirit that's not common in Pokemon TCG art. And there's no big manga connection, but we've really enjoyed the works of recent TCG debut Yukihiro Tada. The latest is a cycle of Ogerpon ex cards, and we're big fans of the head-on approach and sharp color work.
We also appreciate the continued trend of legendary creatures at lower rarities to make pack openings a bit more fun. Shaymin, Regigigas, Heatran, Suicune and Groudon all fit the bill this time around.
The most interesting Prismatic Evolutions cards
A first in the TCG, Eevee ex can evolve into another ex card as if it were a normal Eevee. While we sort of wish that were true with all basic ex cards, as it opens up depth and possibilities, it definitely fits into the appeal of Eevee. The ex versions of Flareon, Vaporeon and Jolteon in the set complement this, with each sporting an attack that uses their three types of energy to do massive damage. The other evolutions have three-energy-type attacks too, but they don't overlap in the same way, making them a bit tougher to play together.
The most meta-relevant Prismatic Evolutions cards
A new Festival Lead user, Seaking, could see some use? Its attack, Rapid Draw, is a one colorless energy move that deals 60 damage and lets you draw two cards. And the ability letting you use it twice a turn? Tempting.
On the subject of card draw, Amarys is a new supporter that lets you draw four cards instead of the usual three. The cost? You'll have to discard your hand if you have five or more cards at the end of the turn. But since this game is usually about expending resources more than stockpiling them, that's probably worth the risk. Similarly, Larry's Skill makes you discard your hand, but if you're already empty? You get the Pokemon, Supporter and Basic Energy of your choice.
Let's also cover the new ACE SPEC offerings! Joining a suite of reprints is Max Rod, which grabs five Pokemon or energy from your discard, and Treasure Tracker, which fills your hand with Tool cards. Given how strong ACE SPEC cards are, these might not be popular options, but we're sure they have a niche.
The cutest Prismatic Evolutions cards
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Eeveelutions take center stage in terms of being adorable, but there are a few little pals joining them. The Buneary and Slowpoke are endearing? But yeah, you're probably here for all the Eevee prints. Our favorite is the Elite Trainer Box promo, which shows it asleep on a rug surrounded by toys.
The latest Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion, Scarlet & Violet — Prismatic Evolutions, is available in stores starting January 17, 2025. If you're looking for it on shelves, you might need to be patient; The Pokemon Company International has acknowledged that high demand for the set may lead to shortages, but it says it's working to print more as quickly as possible. For more on the Pokemon TCG, including an overview of this expansion, check out our archive.
The post Pokemon TCG: The Best Prismatic Evolutions Cards appeared first on Siliconera. |
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