Kotaku Monday, February 12, 2024 11:45 AM  From the moment protagonist Squall Leonhart is dragged onto the dance floor by a headstrong girl in the opening hours of Final Fantasy VIII, I knew it was love. I would grow to adore this game and appreciate it despite its flaws, and much of that was because of the central story of Squall and Rinoa. In the 25 years… |
Kotaku Monday, February 12, 2024 10:45 AM  If you've played the original Final Fantasy VII, you know the game ends on a bittersweet note. Sure, the day is saved by the remnants of the revolutionary group Avalanche, but as illustrated in the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the gang is left to deal with a lot of residual trauma from their journey.… |
Kotaku Monday, February 12, 2024 10:15 AM  Rachell Hofstetter always wants to do more. With four million subscribers on YouTube, the streamer known as Valkyrae has become one of the top women creators in gaming since she started back in 2015. Viewers can't get enough of her bubbly personality and quirky antics, devouring her streams as she trash-talks in Valora… |
Kotaku Monday, February 12, 2024 9:15 AM  There is a lot of advice out there about how to maintain a healthy relationship with your significant other. Communicate effectively, set aside time to spend with each other, things like that. Having been in a relationship with my partner for nine years, I like to think we are pretty good at these things. Not much can… |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:58 AM  Budget gaming doesn't have to be a term that incites cringes and thoughts of poorly made products. Instead, Cooler Master thinks it might have nailed the new expectation for a budget gaming monitor with its new GA2501, and it manages to hit 100Hz despite its cost-saving measures. Cooler Master is intentionally steering clear of competing against the higher-tier products that appear on our best gaming monitors list, instead targeting gamers who are looking to sacrifice some features in order to save some cash. Continue reading New Cooler Master gaming monitor is ultra budget, still hits 100Hz |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:54 AM  What is the Tomb Raider Remastered release date? There have been so many iterations of Lara Croft over the years, but perhaps none are more iconic than the original. The savagely angular face, the tank controls, and the… dinosaurs? Well, it's time to don your favorite adventuring shorts, grab both of your favorite pistols and get ready to raid some tombs. The Tomb Raider series walks a fine line between being some of the best adventure games of all time and surprisingly robust puzzle games, as well as some platforming elements. It's because of this that Lara Croft has stayed relevant even after all this time, and we're very excited to get our hands on the Tomb Raider Remastered trilogy on its release date. Continue reading Tomb Raider Remastered trilogy release date, trailers, and features MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best action-adventure games, Tomb Raider Remastered release date, Best single-player games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:52 AM  We weren't convinced that this Borderlands gaming PC was real when we first saw it, but Ivan Cervenak has done a great job of fooling our eyes with this gaming PC based on the Borderlands robot Jimmy J3NKN5. This unreal-looking PC mod is clad in the sketchy cel-shaded cartoon effect that defines the game series, and was created with a load of vinyl wrap, some acrylic paint pens, and even a needle. Thanks to our rapidly growing PC building Facebook page, we've seen many custom gaming PCs, from mods based on existing case designs to scratch PC builds. You can even submit yours for consideration right here. But first, let's find out more about this Borderlands PC from Ivan himself. Continue reading This cel-shaded Borderlands gaming PC is a work of art MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:45 AM  While the Fortnite Disney crossover was filled with references to the House of Mouse's myriad properties and characters, the most famous animated family in America was nowhere to be seen, as The Simpsons didn't make an appearance. With Disney buying Fox, thus owning The Simpsons, it's surprising that they didn't make the cut. Continue reading The Fortnite Disney crossover is missing one huge show MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map - key locations, Fortnite skins, All Fortnite Chapter 4 weapons |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:45 AM  What are the best multiplayer games on PC? 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. Continue reading Best multiplayer games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends season 17 release date |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:30 AM  What are the best Skull and Bones ships? Ubisoft's Sea of Thieves-esque pirate game arrives on our shores very soon, and we're starting to get an idea of everything we can expect – from pirate customization, to ship combat, and even its survival game aspects. Here is all the information you need on every Skull and Bones ship we've seen so far. There are, in theory, four types of ships that will be available to you on the Skull and Bones release date, although one of those is your starter ship which, as you'll see, has few benefits. There will also be a Large class of ships, but we haven't had the chance to sail those yet. Each ship has its advantages and disadvantages, each suited to a particular job in the pirate game. Here's what we know so far about Skull and Bones ship types. Continue reading All Skull and Bones ship blueprints and best ships MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best pirate games, Skull and Bones release date, Skull and Bones system requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:31 AM  What are the best CS2 crosshairs? Choosing the perfect crosshair to suit your playstyle is no easy task. If you pick a large crosshair, you could end up blocking potential targets from your sightline. Too small and you might not be able to hit your targets from a distance. The main thing to remember is that you're going to want to spend some time testing out each type of crosshair. Fortunately, Deathmatch has been revamped in Counter-Strike 2 to give you another batch of targets to gun down. Picking the best crosshair and using the best CS2 binds should help you on your quest to earn the highest CS2 ranks and rating. Here are all the best CS2 crosshair codes in 2024. Continue reading Best CS2 crosshair codes list used by Counter-Strike 2 pros MORE FROM PCGAMESN: CS2 crosshair, CS2 review, CS2 skins |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:23 AM  When is the next Steam sale? It feels like one Steam sale has just ended when the next one begins, but with some events offering better discounts than others and genre-specific sales, it's a good idea to keep these dates to hand. Fortunately, Valve has released the entire Steam sale dates for the rest of the year and beyond, so that you can plan your wishlist. Whether you're looking for new PC games to sink your teeth into or simply the best PC games of all time, there's something for everyone on Steam. Smaller publisher sales can introduce you to new favorites if you get to the bargains in time, while seasonal sales are much bigger and last one to two weeks, with more games, DLC, and bundles available with chunkier discounts. Continue reading When is the next Steam sale? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Steam FAQ, Steam family sharing, Steam in-home streaming |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:16 AM  What are the upcoming Game Pass games on PC? New titles constantly appear on the platform, and as more developers jump on board with Microsoft's subscription service, it can be easy to lose track of the best of the bunch. Thankfully, our complete list of games coming to Game Pass charts new releases in 2024, so you can play your most anticipated PC games on day one without spending a cent more than your subscription fee. Game Pass on PC presents an excellent opportunity to take the best PC games for a spin without worrying about triple-A price tags. Equally, you can take a chance on the most experimental and unorthodox indie games that might otherwise go overlooked on other platforms. Whether you're a fan of fast-paced FPS games, spine-chilling horror games, or immersive RPGs, the best way to keep up to date with all your favorite upcoming PC Game Pass games is right here on PCGamesN. Continue reading All games coming to Game Pass in February 2024 and beyond |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  I've said it before and I'll say it again. The original 1993 Doom represents not just an epochal event in the history of videogames, but a watershed moment for all culture, of all kinds, everywhere. The team at id Software created undoubtedly the greatest FPS in history. Whether Half-Life, Halo, Counter-Strike, or anything else, it doesn't matter what came later - they all owe a debt of inspiration to the original demon-ripping epic. More than 30 years since it first arrived, and thousands of mods and WADs later, you wouldn't think Doom could ever get better. But now Brutal Doom, the revolutionary reimagining of the 1993 classic, which John Romero says would have "destroyed the game industry" had it launched back in the day, has its biggest update ever. Doom has never been this much of a blast. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best old games, Best FPS games, Best zombie games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  So far, 2024 has been the year of the early access survival game, and it doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. However, if the likes of Palworld and Enshrouded have left you cold, then Nightingale is probably enough to turn your head. Inflexion Games' stylish presentation of open-world survival has left quite the impression, backed by a strong BioWare pedigree that includes art director Neil Thompson and production lead Leah Summers. PCGamesN sat down with them both ahead of Nightingale's early access release to discuss what comes next. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  How do you get Essence Dust in Nightingale? The new survival game has a myriad of different crafting and building skills, making traversing realms and exploring biomes to gather resources a highly unique way of approaching survival. In your time in Nightingale, your gear, weapons, and armor all need to be repaired, but unlike using a workbench or specially crafted hammer, Nightingale requires you to use Essence Dust. Now the Nightingale release date is here, we've spent time in the game to know what it takes to survive Nightingale's early game including how Nightingale realm cards work, and how to increase your gear rating. However, if you're having trouble locating Essence Dust or want to know which items produce the most dust, here's what we know so far. Continue reading How to get Essence Dust in Nightingale MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  How do you get the Nightingale Antiquarian card? In Inflexion's new open-world survival experience, there are many mechanics at play. One of those mechanics involves unlocking cards which can be used to manipulate your current environment, or transport you to a new one. These Nightingale Realm Cards are unlocked via a series of different challenges and are dotted about randomly. Luckily, it seems that the Antiquarian card's location is fixed in the early-game. You should be able to get your hands on it within 3 hours of playing Nightingale, if not sooner, but you'll need to know where to look. Continue reading How to unlock the Nightingale Antiquarian card MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  How does the Realmic Transmutor work in Nightingale? The beauty of Inflexion's new survival game is its ability to shift and alter your world at a moment's notice. By collecting Realm cards you can travel to new destinations or change your current one, but it comes with a cost. The Nightingale Realmic Transmutor is one of the devices you'll need to locate if you want to alter your world. Whether you're playing Nightingale multiplayer or solo, you'll probably want to know what these devices can do, and how you can use them. Continue reading How does the Nightingale Realmic Transmutor work? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  How do you increase your Nightingale gear rating? Everything you do in Nightingale revolves around how powerful you are at that particular moment; the world defines you by the gear you carry, and there are places you won't be able to access if your equipment doesn't meet certain requirements. The Nightingale release date is here, and those wandering the Faelands will likely have seen places and glimpsed enemies that are way above their current level. Nightingale doesn't have a traditional player-level system and instead opts for an overall gear rating to measure your current ability, with Sites of Power being hard-gated by this gear rating. Here's how to increase your Nightingale gear rating so you can take on the toughest challenges that the survival game has to offer. Continue reading How to increase Nightingale gear rating MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  What are Nightingale Sites of Power? These open-world dungeons are semi-optional challenges that contain a wealth of loot, puzzles, and enemies. They also give you the rare opportunity to expand your collection of craftable Realm Cards, so they're well worth the effort it takes for any budding Realmwalker to complete them. Sites of Power are a perfect activity for Nightingale multiplayer, though it's also possible to take them on solo – you can always recruit an NPC if you need an extra hand. Conquering a Site of Power in Nightingale typically bestows the crafting recipe for the relevant Nightingale Realm Card, though you'll have to defeat the Nightingale bosses that guard it first. Here's everything you need to know about Sites of Power in Nightingale. Continue reading Nightingale Site of Power locations and rewards MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:02 AM  What are the Nightingale Realm Cards? If you plan to leave the home comforts of your Respite Realm's estate behind and strike off into the great Faewilds, then Realm Cards are your first port of call. These cards put the power of procedural generation directly in your hands, allowing you to tailor any prospective expedition to your needs. With endless possibilities at your fingertips, we're here to walk you through all the Nightingale Realm Cards at your disposal. Realm Cards give you control over the setting and theme of Nightingale's procedurally generated worlds, allowing you to impose modifiers to gather unique resources or encounter rare bosses. The crafting game's deck is also set to expand as Inflexion Games continues to add new content during early access. Once you close a portal, the exact specifications of that realm are lost forever. If you want to make the most out of this core mechanic, here's every Nightingale Realm Card we know so far, their effects, and how to use them. Continue reading Nightingale Realm Cards explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:49 AM  When is the Skull and Bones release date? We've lost count of how many times the pirate game has been pushed back, but we're not worried - despite a fairly cynical opinion across the board, what we've seen of Skull and Bones so far has given us more than a few reasons to be optimistic for the current release date. With Skull and Bones now years in the making, we are holding out hope for a more fine-tuned adventure and a worthy contender among the best pirate games. While the game has been delayed multiple times, the Skull and Bones release date has now been confirmed in a trailer released during The Game Awards. We've plundered the murky depths of Davy Jones's locker to bring you the latest Skull and Bones news, Skull and Bones ship customization, and everything else you need to know about this upcoming nautical adventure. Continue reading Skull and Bones release date and times, beta, gameplay, and news MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best pirate games, Skull and Bones release date, Skull and Bones system requirements |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 10:55 AM  We've all been dumped, let's face it. There's a moment of heartbreak, then anger, then heartbreak again; all washed down with copious amounts of ice cream and bad Netflix shows. When Baldur's Gate 3 was at its peak, my entire X (formerly Twitter) timeline was flooded with virtual tears - Astarion, once again, decided to break it off with yet another Tav, a tale as old as time (I'm not laughing, he dumped me, too). So, after speaking to myriad members of the gaming industry about our shared, world-ending experience, I decided to ask Astarion's actor, Neil Newbon, whether or not he regrets the fact that he's dumped millions of people. Continue reading Baldur's Gate 3's Astarion actor feels "no regret" for dumping you MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds, BG3 mods, Baldur's Gate 3 classes |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 11:04 AM  What are the best Minecraft house builds? Here, you'll find some cool house ideas to help you structure your next creation. There are so many themes and materials at your disposal in 1.20, so we've dug deep into the Minecraft house designs available to set you on your way to creating your dream home. Whether you're an adventurer, builder, or redstone engineer when playing one of the best PC games of the decade, you still want a nice cozy home to go back to at the end of a busy day. And while constructing your perfect Minecraft house is a time-consuming venture, nothing beats that feeling you get when you gaze out the window from the confines of your cozy cabin, hilltop hideout, or towering treehouse in the building game. Whether or not you boost the look of your builds with Minecraft texture packs or Minecraft shaders, these house ideas will look stylish in any world. Continue reading Minecraft houses – 49 cool house ideas for 1.20 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 10:01 AM  The Cities Skylines 2 economy has been volatile so far. Since the city building sequel first arrived, Colossal Order has been hard at work delivering both performance improvements and tweaks to the overall simulation, but money, exports, land values, and more remain a problem. Aside from roads and traffic - perhaps the hardest things to get right - money is the most important component of any successful Cities Skylines 2 endeavour, but CO now admits that the in-game economy, at launch, was not up to the standard it hoped. While some economic problems have been resolved, the CS2 creator says that more are still coming, while the potentially game-killing land values issue will also soon be fixed. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines 2 review, Cities Skylines 2 roads, Cities Skylines 2 maps |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 10:31 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 Monday, February 12, 2024 10:49 AM  What are the best strategy games on PC? Turn-based or real-time, grand strategy or tactical RPGs, there are many sub-genres within the strategy game umbrella. For example, in one game, you can command an entire fleet in space, while in another, you bark orders to soldiers fighting on a battlefield as magic flies through the air. Since there are so many different types of games out there, we'll keep this list of the best strategy games on PC as broad as possible - similar to our roster of the best building games. So join us as we explore a curated collection of the genre's greatest hits, from newcomers to classics. Continue reading Best strategy games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Crusader Kings 3 DLC guide, Best Crusader Kings 3 mods, Crusader Kings 3 review |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 10:27 AM  The Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One flight stick allows you to mimic authentic piloting conditions as you fly through the skies of your favorite videogames. Its throttle enables easy aircraft acceleration control, meanwhile, a joystick provides position and control over subtler movements. These aspects enhance the flight simulation gaming experience tenfold. For all fans of flying, the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One flight stick is a must. I'd say it not only deserves to be considered among the best PC joysticks, but even the best PC controllers overall. Continue reading Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One Flight Stick review MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, February 12, 2024 9:56 AM  How do treasure maps work in Skull and Bones? Like you'd expect from a pirate-themed adventure, treasure maps feature two pieces of information that will lead you to riches: a location and a clue. However, it's not quite that straightforward, as you'll also need to find the maps first, which can seem a bit confusing as you begin plundering the Red Isles. Do you have more questions about Skull and Bones? As a huge live service game, we don't blame you – there's a ton of mechanics at play. From all you need to know about Skull and Bones infamy to a Skull and Bones pet list to make your pirate ship a little bit more pleasant, we've got you well covered. Otherwise, read on to find out all you need to know about treasure maps, including answers as to where to find the treasure. Continue reading All Skull and Bones treasure map answers and locations MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best pirate games, Skull and Bones release date, Skull and Bones system requirements |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 12:00 PM  "Banishers took a while to kick in," I wrote in the RPS group chat last week, "but I fought a monster made of angry witch-hunting jam last night." It was a pivotal boss fight about half way through Don't Nod's ghost hunting action-adventure RPG Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden, and typical of the over-the-top, slightly ridiculous, but entirely earnest drama of the game that joyfully pulls you along. Don't Nod - who I am starting to suspect make their magic teen angsthologies to fund their real passion for "grimdark grown-up fantasy that you sort of suspect should be a book series" - have followed up 2018's third-person action effort Vampyr with this new semi-epic. Banishers has a lot in common with the interwar bloodsucker, including methodical investigations and stacking moral choices, but is a much more accomplished effort. Banishers combines a sweeping, tragic love story with some very decent swashbuckling, shooting possessed skeletons in the face, and being disappointed at Puritans. A perfect game, some may say. I'd elevator-pitch it to you as a sort of goth Uncharted where you find-and-replace "treasure" with "ghosts". |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 11:39 AM  I remember reading about The Grannies a while back. They're a group of game devs based in Melbourne who formed a gang (the titular Grannies) of older people in Rockstars rootin', tootin' cowboy RPG Red Dead Redemption 2 - specifically Red Dead Online. In the pursuit of fun, The Grannies, using a glitch known to a lot of the community, broke through the invisible walls in the game's wild west and into another, wilder west - a landscape nobody was really meant to see. Marie Foulston, a curator who specialises in installations focused on video games, made a short documentary film about them and what they saw in 2019. Now V Buckenham (who has made many things, but may be known to most as the creator of Cheap Bots Done Quick!) to present The Grannies to watch for free online, in an immersive website experience that itslef looks like a glitching out landscape. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM  The major thing Inflexion's fantasy survival sim Nightingale gets right is that it makes procedural generation feel like sorcery. "Procgen" has become a ubiquitous concept in game design and especially survival game design, and I fear we've all lost sight of how magical it is to summon a landscape full of idiosyncratic flourishes from a hidden dataset. It's partly, in fairness, that many semi-randomised settings feel indistinct, smooshed together with little of the character you'd get from a "hand-made" environment and setting. Nightingale slices through the ennui in a couple of ways. One is that this is a relatively storied and text-driven survival experience, with a self-summoning fairy narrator, Puck, who immediately buries you in Shakespearean turns of phrase as he weaves the history of a multiple-dimensional universe of "Fae" realms, roamed by creatures of Irish, English and Scottish myth and legend. I'm not sure Puck will be everybody's cup of tea as principle quest-giver and narrator - according to Inflexion boss Aaryn Flynn, some early players have struggled to make head or tail of his dialogue. But he helps conjure up an eldritch mood that sets Nightingale apart from most genre fantasies, including the Dragon Age titles Flynn once worked on at BioWare. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 10:45 AM  As a big fan of moody first-person games where you follow procedures to do a job, I'm quite interested in the recent announcement of Threshold. Made by a former Arkane level designer, it's about a train maintenance job at a border post atop the world's tallest mountain, where the air is so thin you need to huff top-ups from cans. Concrete information on Threshold is a bit thin at this point but I can tell you that you have a bucket and some planks, so what more do you need to know? Check out the announcement trailer, below. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 9:48 AM  Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter's #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday, I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye has been caught by high-speed platforming, a creative use of your own corpse, a contribution to the yellow paint discourse, and more. Check out these attractive and interesting indie games! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 12, 2024 6:57 AM  Helldivers 2 is yet another example of a predominantly co-op game being a victim of its own success. Since its launch, the servers have buckled under the weight of keen conscripts ready to exterminate some bugs. There's been frequent disconnects, matchmaking issues, and post-game rewards not showing up for some folks. But Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt has offered some comfort, saying that they've popped three hotfixes live to fix some of these issues. |
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Siliconera Monday, February 12, 2024 12:00 PM
Square Enix teased new art of the FFXIV Scions of the Seventh Dawn characters Y'shtola, Urianger, and Thancred. All three designs involve their updated looks as of patch 6.55, leading into Dawntrail, and are drawn by Yusuke Mogi.
The Urianger art from FFXIV patch 6.55 was the first to appear. It shows him in his Lithomancer attire, and he has his cards spread out in front of him in the image.
The Thancred FFXIV art appeared after that. It showed him as a Gunbreaker, which has been his role for a number of expansions.
Finally, here's the new FFXIV Y'shtola art. Like Thancred, she appears in attire we've seen her in for a while, as she's been a Sorceress for a few expansions.
As a reminder, Yusuke Mogi worked on an artist for FFXIV. Mogi's work on the MMO began with A Realm Reborn and carried through to multiple expansions up to Endwalker. The artist also worked on The Last Remnant.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. The Xbox Series X open beta begins on February 21, 2024, ahead of its full release later this year. The Dawntrail expansion will appear in Summer 2024.
The post Patch 6.55 FFXIV Art of Y'shtola, Thancred, and Urianger Released appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 12, 2024 11:00 AM
HoYoVerse offered insight into two new Honkai Impact 3rd characters, as it briefly went over the Battlesuits for Coralie 6626 Planck and Erdos Helia. These are called Valkyrie Blastmetal and Valkyrie Boltstorm, respectively, and each one is an A-rank unit.
Coralie is going to be a free Battlesuit, as you can get her by playing Part 2 Chapter I, but she'll also be in Battlesuit Supply. She's a PSY character who deals fire damage with her Rocket Hammer. Her basic attack is capable of a three-hit combo and is called Gently Wakes Up Sleeping Hearts. Her skill is Secretly Sweeping Away Obstacles and hits enemies multiple times either on the ground or in the air, and this can be weapon-enhanced if she has the Hammering Feel buff. Her Ultimate is Quietly Blasting Open Shut Doors and deals AOE damage while also possibly dealing more damage if the player mashes the action button. She also has the Astral Ring Skill Carinae: Secretly Relying on the Rite of Oblivion, which uses Quantum Mech Energy to hit harder.
Meanwhile the Helia Battlesuit is one people will need to try and get through the Battlesuit Supply Hello, Mars banner. She is a MECH unit who deals lightning damage. The basic attack A Journey That Just Began can hit up to four times. Her Skill is called Life's Invitation and basically tosses a grenade for AOE damage. In addition, her A Prominent Declaration Ultimate also involves her tossing an explosive to deal AOE damage. The Astral Ring Skill is Sidereal: The Whistle of a Dove causes a Stellar Outburst state that buffs allies, debuffs enemies, and increases both how quickly she attacks and hard she hits.
Here's the new official art for both of them:
As a reminder, Coralie and Helia aren't the only two new Honkai Impact 3rd characters with Battlesuits debuting in Part 2 (7.3). That's also when Senadina will show up. She will be an S-rank unit, however, and will also only be available via the Hello, Mars Battlesuit Supply banner.
Honkai Impact 3rd is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the Part 2 version 7.3 release date is February 29, 2024.
The post Honkai Impact 3rd Coralie and Helia Battlesuits Detailed appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 12, 2024 10:00 AM
There's yet another new Shonen Jump manga series to ready, with Super Psychic Policeman Chojo now available worldwide. People can read it in English on MangaPlus or Viz Media, as this is a simulpub release.
As the title suggests, this is something of a buddy cop comedy with supernatural elements. Meguru Chojo is the "super psychic policeman" in question, and his partner who we follow in the first chapter is the ordinary, but extremely capable, Nao Ippongi. The game begins by explaining that psychic investigators use telepathic and precognitive powers to solve crimes, and Meguru is someone who ended up as a cop instead of with the CIA or FBI. The two are stationed in Kabukicho, and Nao quickly learns the downside of working with such an individual and that the team takes "absolutely no pride in" him. The rest of the chapter goes over Nao learning more about this "special" individual and how to work with him.
This is the second new manga to appear in Shonen Jump in February 2024. Astro Babyalso made its debut. It also features supernatural elements, as a strange virus tied to a meteorite causes abnormal, cannibalistic behavior in those affected and the lead is a young soldier protecting the baby of a woman he loves.
Chapter 1 of Super Psychic Policeman Chojo is available to read worldwide now, and chapter 2 of the new Shonen Jump series will be available on February 18, 2024.
The post New Shonen Jump Series Is Super Psychic Policeman Chojo appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 12, 2024 9:30 AM
I'm a very visual person. The first thing I notice about any kind of medium is how good it looks. I've put down comic books, games, and movies I otherwise liked because the art didn't hit right. Inversely, I've also enjoyed things I otherwise may not have because I love the style. Although, of course, the ideal would be good art and something enjoyable. Luckily, Ultros fell on the high end of that spectrum.
Ultros is a psychedelic sci-fi Metroidvania that takes place inside something called The Sarcophagus. The main character seemingly crash-landed on this entity or vessel. As a result, she becomes entangled in the overarching narrative of events unfolding there. From a storyline perspective, that's really as in depth as I feel I can go without starting to spoil things.
The instant appeal of the art style cannot be overstated. I don't think I've ever seen a game lean this heavily into a psychedelic aesthetic like Ultros. The world, the characters, and the UI all stand out and are simply dripping with style. Such excellence is unsurprising given Niklas Åkerblad, also known as El Huervo, spearheaded the art direction. For those unaware, Åkerblad did the critically acclaimed cover art for both Hotline Miami games. However, there are accessibility options to turn down saturation or blur the background. This way even if you feel the colors and everything on screen is too much, you can adjust to your taste. I always appreciate when devs include this sort of forethought when designing their games.
The art and design are accompanied by a dreamy, ethereal soundtrack courtesy of Ratvader. The music fits the themes and the visuals so well. This is, to be fair, one of those games you look at and just know the music is going to go absolutely crazy. Ultros just nails the aesthetics from the second you start. It helps to elevate what would otherwise be a fairly by-the-book Metroidvania, albeit with a couple twists.
Ultros' story is interesting, but incredibly vague, and many parts of it are open to interpretation. Some characters embody abstract concepts physically. Additionally, the dialogue is intricate and intentionally ambiguous, which often left me perplexed and uttering "What?" However, I think this is actually a strength of the game. The confusing nature really does makes you feel as if you landed in a very complex and different world.
The storyline and gameplay both revolve around a time-loop concept. When you achieve certain goals within the game, the loop resets. The point is to use these to eventually move forward, gaining a little ground each time. You lose everything in a new loop, including items and unlocked skills. The only things that remain are plants you've planted (we'll get to that) and certain plot points.
This essentially makes the game a rogue-lite, in addition to a Metroidvania. I think the genres worked well together, although it did make some parts a little frustrating. For example, you lose your sword every loop and have to regain it. The first couple loops this takes a minute, and I found it a little annoying. You do eventually get some shortcuts and other mechanics to make future loops less frustrating. You get items that let you retain skills and even open new pathways with all new, upgraded items.
One of the main sources of shortcuts, as well as literal growth between loops, is the gardening mechanic. You find a variety of seeds throughout The Sarcophagus that you can plant in fertile soil. These plants not only persist between loops, they actually grow. This can lead to a number of benefits on future runs. The mechanic seemed stressful at first, because there are only so many loops and it was sometimes unclear which seed was most appropriate in each location. However, you do gain abilities in later loops to better manage your gardening and even change whole plants. Also, if you really screw up something, the game allows you to go back to the start of any previous loop.
The difficulty in this game comes more from knowing when and where to do things in various loops than from facing enemies. In fact, the combat system prioritizes style over standard difficulty. Enemies in the game drop resources to upgrade your abilities or even assist in gardening. If you defeat an enemy without repeating the same move twice, you'll gain a pristine version of their drop. However, if you mash the attack button, you'll get a lesser version. I found this interesting at first, but eventually it just became easier and more efficient to mash anyway. It was always nice to get a pristine drop, but rarely was it worth the extra time and setup of not trying to duplicate an attack. I appreciate the idea, but it was just easier to fight enemies without worrying about the drops at all.
However, combat actually takes a backseat to exploration for much of the game. The level design feels appropriate and many areas feel claustrophobic given the setting. Each area also feels unique, while sharing the overall look and design of The Sarcophagus. As you progress through multiple loops and cultivate some plants, navigation and traversal across the vessel can become notably swift.
Everything Ultros sets out to do as a game, it does well. The combat isn't the most elaborate, but it's not boring or poorly done either. The navigation and level design excel, yet they fall short of being the most memorable aspects of the game. The art style and design of the game may overshadow the game itself, but it's not due to poor execution. The Metroidvania genre as a whole has a lot of familiar, but not quite tired, gameplay elements and that is true of Ultros as well. All in all, Ultros is a solid Metroidvania game with a ton of style, and if you are a Metroidvania fan it absolutely deserves a little of your time.
Ultros will debut on February 13, 2024 on the PS4, PS5 and PC.
The post Review: Ultros Is a Psychedelic Trip With a Familiar Formula appeared first on Siliconera. |
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