Dec 14, 18:00


Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:01 PM
    

Today, Amazon officially announced its plans to develop a new TV show based on the popular God of War games. This confirms a previous report from March that the company was looking to adapt the popular PlayStation franchise into a streaming series.

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:40 PM
    

Hogwarts Legacy is just a couple months away and if you haven't been paying attention, the Harry Potter spin-off isn't messing around. The game will let players learn the series' infamous unspeakable curses and even use them on students. A new gameplay reveal ups the ante even further though, showing off the game's…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:21 PM
    

Professional boss baby Elon Musk has a lot of…unique ideas (his recent decision to just stop paying rent on Twitter's office as a "cost-cutting" measure stands among them), but at least he isn't afraid to commit to the bit. After nearly a year of Musk imagining a Valve-compatible Tesla, the electric vehicle company…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:55 PM
    

Tera raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are a team-based affair, and part of that teamwork comes from using cheers, a set of commands exclusive to these four-player boss battles scattered across the games' Paldea region. However, in my experience grouping up with randos online, I've often found myself being the sole…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:45 PM
    

Fortnite developer Epic Games announced today that it will no longer provide online service or servers for 17 older games, including six from the Unreal series dating back as far as 1998, and it will end access to some additional games entirely. The shutdowns are already starting to be enacted, but won't be completed…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:20 PM
    

I'm not just a clown, I'm the entire circus. A week after I called him Genshin's most annoying character, Scaramouche's storyline crushed my heart into itty-bitty pieces and caused me to spend gacha currency on him. Ever since Genshin launched two years ago, players have been grumbling nonstop that the dialogue…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:10 PM
    

The Witcher 3 just got a big "next-gen upgrade" this week. The update includes a variety of graphical improvements to spruce up the now seven-ish year-old game to look a bit more relevant in our era of ray tracing and AI-based resolution techniques. While we felt that the updates made for a nice way to get into or…

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:35 PM
    

It was another banner year for role-playing games. Even as the genre beloved for dialogue choices, skill trees, and making the numbers go up gets slowly subsumed into every major blockbuster from Dying Light 2 to God of War Ragnarök, there were still plenty of standouts, both big and small.

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Kotaku Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:00 PM
    

I like annoying-sounding things, like feedback loops on Discord calls, un-WD-40'd door hinges, and small dogs who are losing their shit over the existence of reality. But not everyone likes to be annoyed while playing video games, and that's why the developers for recently-released first-person-shooter High on Life

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PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:54 PM
     The next Warhammer 40k Darktide patch adds a new map and new weapons

You know that big club the Ogryn is holding in the cover art? That's coming in the next Warhammer 40k Darktide update, due out December 15. The content drop, which developer Fatshark has called The Signal, adds a set of power maul weapons for the Ogryn and zealot, as well as a new map, private play mode, and some new special conditions for missions in the grimdark co-op game.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Darktide weapons, Darktide classes, Is Darktide crossplay available?

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:17 PM
     Wo Long Fallen Dynasty coming to PC on Game Pass on day one

The Wo Long Fallen Dynasty release date is coming up soon. Publisher Koei Tecmo has now said that when the mythical Soulslike game launches March 3, it'll be available on PC via Game Pass on day one. Plus, there's an action-packed new trailer to check out.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty demo impression, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is The Witcher meets Sekiro, Best RPG games

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:17 PM
     Destiny 2 Dawning Perfect Taste, Personal Touch drop rates are too low

Destiny 2 Dawning's Perfect Taste, Personal Touch and other Dawning recipe ingredients aren't dropping consistently, according to some Guardians. As part of the game's ongoing Dawning celebration, players are presently scouring the in-game universe for the materials necessary to craft the cookies they need to bake to turn into vendors across Sol for rewards.

Several players have noted that as they have played different activities collect specific ingredients in the Destiny 2 Dawning event, they have struggled to obtain the ingredients required to bake specific items.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:02 PM
     Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 9 introduces a paladin with a hidden subclass

Baldur's Gate Patch 9 will introduce a new class to Larian's Early Access RPG game, the Paladin. Paladin characters will get to delve into the strength of their oath to stand on the side of good, and every character will be able to advance to level five - a significant milestone in every D&D character's development.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 release date, Baldur's Gate 3 races, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:17 PM
     New Starfield gameplay details reveal dynamic quests and visiting Mars

New Starfield gameplay details have finally been shared by Bethesda, as the Fallout, Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls developer confirms how the dynamic quest and faction systems will work in the RPG game, as well as how players will be able to visit our very own Solar System and scour the planet Mars – plenty to look forward to ahead of the Starfield release date.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield release date, Starfield ship design, Starfield Game Pass

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:56 PM
     The Witcher 3 has sex scenes, but it doesn't like the sex number

There's a bit of a strange bug that's popped up in the enhanced edition of The Witcher 3. When you open up the menu - to plug in the best Witcher 3 settings, naturally - you may find that the remastered open-world game has a surprising aversion to a particular number.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The Witcher 3 mods, The Witcher 4 news, Play The Witcher 3

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:30 PM
     Warzone 2 looting and lethal AI overhauled in new Call of Duty update

Warzone 2 looting, stronghold AI, bomb drones, backpacks, black sites, and more are all overhauled as a major update for the Call of Duty battle royale game arrives from Infinity Ward, solving many of the issues faced by CoD fans, and also heralding changes to Modern Warfare 2 itself.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:26 PM
     Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland skins earn Blizzard a frosty reception

Blizzard's Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland skins have arrived to a somewhat frosty reception, as the free rewards on offer for the multiplayer game's holiday event feel a little miserly compared to past offerings. The developers have bumped up the rewards available following criticism of the Overwatch 2 Halloween event, but many fans say they still feel left out in the cold by comparison to the generous rewards of the first game.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: All Overwatch 2 characters, Best Overwatch 2 settings, Overwatch 2 tier list

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:22 PM
     The best Witcher 3 settings – next-gen options on PC

The best Witcher 3 settings will help CDProjektRed's stunning RPG game shine, and now is the perfect time to explore the Continent. The fantasy epic first arrived back in 2015, but there's now a free next-gen update that adds new graphics options, ray tracing, gameplay improvements and more.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The Witcher 3 mods, The Witcher 4 news, Play The Witcher 3

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:18 PM
     The best offline games for PC in 2022

Looking for the best offline games? If you're disconnected from the internet for any length of time, you'll need the best offline PC games to help tide you over. Not every game lets you play offline, though.

Though you'd expect multiplayer games and MMO games to require an internet connection, there's more to think about when preparing a stockpile of the best offline games for your long commute or holiday. Some games require a license check before launching, for anti-piracy reasons - and although this doesn't take long to perform, it means you can't access the game without an internet connection. Unless you're playing on GOG, there's often no easy way to tell if a game you're eyeing will actually let you play without being hooked up to the web. Online games are all well and good, but there frustrating when you just want to download something and play it at your leisure.

Lucky for you, there's no shortage of fun offline games to choose from, whether you're a fan of classic RPG games or the biggest modern open world games. We've got something to suit nearly every taste and need, so read on if you're on the computer but don't have an internet connection, or travelling and need a game without demanding controls. While you'll naturally need an internet connection to purchase and download the games, you're free to play them offline in their entirety.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Red Dead Redemption 2 PC review, RDR2 PC legendary animal hunts, RDR2 money guide

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:01 PM
     The best zombie games on PC 2022

What are the best zombie games on PC in 2022? You can hardly take a step on Steam without these clutching at your ankle, so it's a valid question.

Luckily, our list of dead-good hits has everything a zombie enthusiast could ask for, ranging from simulation-style management games, to co-op games that are more Lovecraftian period pieces. If you like, you can take a shambling detour through tower defense games and post-apocalypse parkour. Popular culture's fascination with the undead has given us many gifts - and many memes - so you must get your bearings and know where to find the best zombie games out there on PC. Come with us now to find the ones worth playing right now as we wade through the hordes of shambling corpses.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Does DayZ have crossplay?, DayZ system requirements, DayZ base building tips

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:55 AM
     Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 update transforms XP, nerfs best weapon

The new Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 update introduces some much-welcome changes to the XP system, including how tokens work in the Infinity Ward FPS game, while also nerfing both the most annoying and best CoD and Warzone 2 weapons, as Call of Duty Raids also go live – providing you can conquer DMZ mode.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Modern Warfare 2 guns, Best loadouts in Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2 maps

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:55 AM
     Genshin Impact leaker Ubatcha gives statement after HoYoverse subpoena

Well-known Genshin Impact leaker Ubatcha has announced on Twitter that they've decided to quit, as a follow-up to the legal action taken against them. The anime game's publisher, Cognosphere, issued a subpoena and DMCA takedown notice about a week ago in response to Ubatcha's many leaks found inside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Discord server - a community hub that contains over 270,000 users.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:51 AM
     Genshin Impact tier list December 2022: the best characters in 3.3

Looking for a Genshin Impact tier list? There are currently 59 Genshin Impact characters available, so there's no shortage of candidates for your dream team. But with so many different weapons, elementals, talents, ascension bonuses, and constellation upgrades, finding your favourites can be challenging.

Don't let the placement of the characters on our Genshin Impact tier list deter you from pulling on the next character banner. While base stats and elemental abilities are important, the value of a character also depends on personal playstyle, available weapons and artifacts, and team composition. That being said, if your favourite Genshin Impact character is in C tier or below, you may struggle to get past some of the more challenging Spiral Abyss floors. Don't worry too much if your favourite character is on one of the lower tiers; you can still make it work with our recommended Genshin Impact builds.

In general, being on a high tier means that the character is the best Genshin Impact character in their role, is not too difficult to build, and performs well regardless of teammates. Being on a lower tier means that there are better alternatives, or the character needs a very specific build or team to shine. Just to note, the characters are not ranked within their own tier, and with that out of the way, let's take a look at our ranking of characters in our Genshin Impact tier list.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:44 AM
     Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti specs may not include VRAM upgrade

There's no official word on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti yet, but it seems like the company are already hard at work at putting together the mainstream graphics card's specs. Unfortunately, those hoping for more VRAM may be disappointed by team green's upcoming GPU.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: RTX 4000 - everything we know, GeForce Now RTX 3080 review, Best graphics card

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:14 AM
     Witcher 3 next gen fixes coming after CD Projekt Red botches launch

If you've been one of the many facing PC issues in The Witcher 3 next gen port from CD Projekt Red don't worry, as the studio behind the fantasy RPG game has announced that plenty of fixes are on the way. The team is investigating exactly just what is going on with the newest version of Geralt's adventure, following multiple reports of problems.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The Witcher 3 mods, The Witcher 4 news, Play The Witcher 3

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:09 AM
     How long is High on Life?

Just how long is High on Life? The narrative game from Justin Roiland's Squanch Games takes you on the journey of a bounty hunter as you finally find your calling in life. Accompanied by some sentient weapons that might remind you of your favourite Rick and Morty or Solar Opposites characters, you probably won't want the story to end, but it's still useful to know how long you'll be roaming the cosmos.

As with most story games, High on Life won't require too much of your time to complete but will offer some side quests and additional adventures if you want to prolong your stay in space. This colourful, planetary adventure has been likened to as "Metroid Prime, but funny", but do check out our High on Life review in progress for our impressions. So, how long can we plan on being high on life?

Continue reading How long is High on Life?
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Should you kill 5-Torg in High on Life?, Should you stab Gene in High on Life?, High on Life mission list

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:31 PM
     In Synced, technology is your best friend – and your biggest threat

Anyone who's read a sci-fi book or even half-watched a Terminator film knows that technology will ultimately be the death of us all. No matter how much control we think we have over our man-made machines, they always seem to deem humanity unnecessary, and we get wiped out before you can even think the word "sky" or anything that might come after it.


PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:06 PM
     The best Marvel Snap decks December 2022

The best Marvel Snap decks aren't available to you right away, but fear not, because alongside some of the meta decks in this superhero-themed card game, we also have the best decks for beginners too. So whether you're still making your way through Pool 1 and 2, or you're reaching the end of Pool 3 and gearing up to unlock the ultra-rare Pool 4 and 5 cards, we've got options for you.

In our humble opinion, the best Marvel Snap deck right now is Infinacula. We have the full decklist for that deck down below, but you need to have made your way into the third Marvel Snap pool because Dracula is vital for the deck to work. If you're not at that point yet, and you're still making your way through the earlier stages of the game, keep reading for our best Marvel Snap decks in this free PC game.

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

PCGamesN Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:21 AM
     Should you kill 5-Torg in High on Life?

Trying to work out if you should kill 5-Torg in High on Life? You only have a single opportunity to slay the cloned sister of 9-Torg, and it's shortly after the first boss fight in the game. It's a missable moment, but as it turns out, it's one you may wish to not bother doing.

There's a similar moment a few minutes later in the FPS game where you can stab Gene with the knife. However, that moment is different because you can get a secret achievement for being a bit of a dick. This choice, on the other hand, is one of the more disappointing ones.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Should you kill 5-Torg in High on Life?, Should you stab Gene in High on Life?, High on Life mission list

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:52 PM
    

Someone hexed The Witcher 3's next-gen update for PC, with players reporting widespread framerate issues along with crashes and weirder problems involving the HUD. Resident RPS hardwaresman James struggled with performance, too.

Developers CD Projekt Red now say they're "actively investigating" the problems, and will update us on what they find "as soon as possible".

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:24 PM
    

GTA Online has kicked off the Los Santos Drug Wars, launching six new story missions where you help some hippies chase down the equipment they need to set up a mobile acid lab in their truck. I say hippies, I mean bloodthirsty thugs who happen to like psychedelics.

The update has also increased security for the popular Cayo Perico heist, which was one of the main ways people earned their money, so folks are understandably grumpy. Maybe they can sell some acid instead?

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:58 PM
    

Earlier today we brought news that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's next-gen update – a seemingly juicy serving of new ray tracing, DLSS/FSR upscaling, and assorted quality of life features – had in fact arrived in a bit of a mess. To assess the damage, I've spent some time with it myself, and can confirm: it ain't great! Besides the devastating frames-per-second toll that the RT effects take, it seems far more crash-prone than I ever remember The Witcher 3 being in the past, and performance in general is just worse than it was pre-update.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:55 PM
    

Yee haw, buckle up, root and also toot, for the Devil's Moon event has kicked off in Hunt Showdown. The event sees Crytek's excellent multiplayer cowboy sneak 'em up periodically set fire to big parts of each map, where you blow up creepy bleedy statues for points that unlock new weapons and traits. There's one that makes you invisible to monsters, which sounds ridiculously powerful - which is probably why the traits will only be in play until the event ends on January 15th.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:32 PM
    

If you're the type of D&D player who likes big swords and being a goody two shoes, then good news! Patch 9 for Baldur's Gate III is out now, adding playable Paladins and increasing the level cap to 5. In true D&D spirit, that's when you get the good stuff, like the ability to fly or summon zombies. Heck, I think you can summon zombies and make *them* fly. It's a whole new world.

Come watch the developers natter all about it in a festive edition of one of their Panels From Hell. One of them is dressed up as a knitting reindeer, and they just announced critical role chap Matthew Mercer will voice a new character.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Devil Daggers was fantastic, Hyper Demon is better. The sequel to Sorath's exquisite wave survival FPS flips a slow-building, protracted struggle into a hyperdense spurt of action that escalates in lockstep with your abilities, thanks to enemies that spawn the moment you've dispatched their chums and a score that ticks down with every second you spend not actively murdering.

That structure is also a trap. It's an invitation to devise an opening dance that dispatches those first few waves as quickly as possible, yet following that dance too rigidly will crash you headfirst into a bonespire. Hyper Demon screams at you to go fast - though when I asked programmer Matt Bush for tips, he suggested I slow down.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:44 PM
    

Last time, you decided that saving everyone is better than randomised item starts and perks by an overwhelming majority. I'm glad that is settled. May all video games learn from this. Please, I beg you, learn from this. This week, I ask you to choose between a beefy build and a beefy wodge of paper. What's better: becoming overpowered, or a chunky manual?

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:21 PM
    

It's quite sad that one of The Geoff Awards 2022 announcements I'm most excited about likely targeted me and no-one else. And that's because it 1) was a reminder, not an announcement; 2) was something to do with Call Of Duty; 3) didn't show off a great deal. Yep, it was the reminder that Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is getting its first raid very soon.

BUT, I'd argue that it should - even just a teeny weeny bit – be of interest to you. Finally, a raid is coming to a game that isn't a life investment, and that's rad.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Earlier this year I watched a very short presentation of Inkbound, an upcoming turn-based roguelike from Shiny Shoe, the devs behind deckbuilder Monster Train. I thought it had potential, but it's difficult to determine just how much potential something has when all you've got to go on is footage they'd prepared earlier, like a cottage pie from a Sunday Brunch oven.

I'm excited to report that I spent over an hour with the game alongside Shiny Shoe's CEO Mark Cooke and creative director Andrew Krausnick, who were not only lovely but put up with my incredible ability to fumble my turns. Still, I was impressed by how the game's speedy combat matched its roguelike needs, as it pushed us through even the trickiest of scenarios - as opposed to other strategy games which can feel like trudging through a sea of glue.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:45 AM
    

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is not for the squeamish. Fatshark's spiritual follow-up to Vermintide and Vermintide 2 is ferocious, violent, and involves a whole lotta gore. It's a grisly co-op multiplayer where instead of brawling your way through torrents of gross rat humanoids, you and your rag-tag team are now up against hordes of scabby zombies all in favour of a Imperial fascist overlord.

Several of the RPS Treehouse folk have jumped into the fray, carving their way through Darktide's industrial world of Gothic factories and towering cathedrals. The verdict? Uninspiring progression systems and short, repetitive missions aside, Darktide still remains a bone-crunching gorefest best enjoyed with pals. Preferably ones with strong stomachs.

James: I was actually braced to bounce off this, in the same way I bounced off Vermintide 2 and its monotonously melee-focused ratman slaughter. Nope – I'm 22 hours in and not even close to abandoning interest in my greasy crew of Imperial screwups. I think it might be because Darktide strikes a finer balance of slicing and shooting? Like there's more of a dynamism to horde fights when you're switching between the two. It rarely feels like I'm just swing, swing, swinging, unless I have a new Power Sword I want to try out.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:19 AM
    

Aquatic open-world sci-fi fest Subnautica has hit 2.0 with its Living Large major update, bringing the game's quality up to par with sequel Subnautica: Below Zero. The update brings across some snazzy construction parts from Below Zero, meaning you're now free to trick out your bases with surface hatches and glass domes. Nice. It also sweeps away more than 800 bugs, including ones that affected base building, vehicle navigation, and piloting. Living Large adds an unstuck button to the menu too, in case you get into peril on some geometry below the waves and can't free yourself.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:10 AM
    

Earlier today, it was revealed that Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion has a piece of artwork in it with a great big Getty Images watermark slapped across it. The eagle-eyed staff over at Kotaku posted an image of the offending painting, found in Nibelheim's ShinRa Mansion where Zack and co find themselves toward the end of the game, and having gone back in to see for myself, I can confirm that, yep, the in-game painting of John Crowther's Ludgate Circus, London, 1881 does indeed still have the watermark on it. Oops! Might want to sort that licence fee, Square Enix, or at least patch it out before Getty starts a'knockin...

Whoopsie artwork isn't the only thing hiding in Crisis Core's ShinRa Mansion, though, because down in the basement is a rather cute nod a Final Fantasy VII fav. Spoilers within, obvs.

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Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:26 PM
     Get ready for the Call of Duty Season 1 Reloaded launch.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:58 PM
     Kratos brings War to Amazon.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:44 PM
     Hogwarts Legacy offers a ton of ways to customize your Harry Potter experience.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:57 PM
     2022 had a surprisingly large number of duds at the box office. So which ones turned out to be biggest flops?

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:20 PM
     Starfield players will be able to go back to the old Solar System and visit a city on Mars.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:50 AM
     Bloober Team should always be trusted with horror games.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:43 AM
     The Ferrary Vision Gran Turismo is coming tomorrow to GT7, but some will have to wait longer.

Twinfinite Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:08 AM
     A former Japan exclusive is coming stateside in 2023.

Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:00 PM
    

Forspoken

Forspoken is an entirely new IP developed by Square Enix through the Luminous Engine, with a wide breadth of creators working on this title. With writers such as Amy Hennig and Gary Whitta penning the script, and composer Bear McCreary creating the score, it seems like an interesting mix of Japanese and Western developers coming together. However, Forspoken shines in some areas more than others, and this divide becomes apparent immediately.

I experienced the early hours of the game, during which Frey is still acclimating to the fantastical world of Athia. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the game immediately let me explore the first area — which is a verdant forest set with interesting looking fanged beasts — and test out spells without railroading me into the next story segment. This gave me enough time to mess around with the "Purple" magic Frey starts off with, which is composed of earth focused spells. I could sling small rocks at high speeds with one of my abilities, or instead charge up an attack to create a massive explosion of jutting rock to hit multiple enemies at a time. Additionally, with each type of magic Frey has access to two types of spell paths. For example, my ability to hurl rocks at my foes was complemented by another attack that I unlocked, which caused a massive vine to whip around Frey and restore health. Switching between spells on the fly felt great, but grew stale after the first few hours. This is because obtaining new abilities felt fairly slow, as you'd need to acquire "magic" from either defeating enemies or finding geysers of blue energy to add to your cumulative magic count.

Forspoken

However, combat became more exciting as I stepped away from the first segment of the game and into an earlier demo with more than just Frey's starting magic at hand. I was able to use "Red" magic, which granted me fire imbued melee attacks and other flashier skills that were more within my wheelhouse. I could summon a ring of fire to trap my enemies, increase my own attack while pummeling away at monsters with my fiery fists, or even slash through them with swords conjured up from flame. Switching between both "Red" and "Purple" magic felt rewarding and made combat a lot more enjoyable. Which gives me a lot of hope for what Forspoken will potentially have during its later hours of the game, when more spells become available. I imagine that juggling the various types of magic and switching between them will allow for players to create some really interesting combos or find a playstyle suited for them.

That said, combat was probably one of the few things I enjoyed about Forspoken. The "magical" parkour was decent, but when encountering certain cliffaces or rocks in the environment, Frey would sometimes fumble and fall. Stamina was hardly an issue as it regenerates fairly fast, which keeps the tempo of leaping, bounding, and running through Athia at an all-time high. Sprinting through lush fields of grass and climbing over the ruins of cities left to decay was exhilarating. Despite how fast you rush through the world, it still manages to feel lived in. There are always plenty of creatures scattered throughout, even if most enemies just felt like damage sponges. The corrupted human enemies didn't posing much of a threat and were something I just sort of avoided when I could, because fighting them involved slinging spells and not doing much else.

Forspoken

Boss fights, however, tended to vary. I had the opportunity to experience a few. Some were story-mandatory experiences, and others I encountered in dungeons scattered throughout Athia. My first major boss was a massive dragon, whose heart I had to target with spells to deal damage. This is where Forspoken teaches you the basics of dodging and using your parkour to deal extra damage after a successful series of dodges. This kept energy during boss fights high, as I was encouraged to dodge and attack in quick succession, while also managing my stamina to make sure I could come out of these encounters unscathed. Bosses I encountered in the dungeons were a bit easier and more straightforward. One of them had me navigating over several different rocks to reach it. When the parkour didn't work as intended, I'd drop into the water and wait for my stamina to regenerate before scrambling out and back into the fray.

The narrative on the other hand, while interesting in its tease of Frey's connection to Athia, was marred by its dialogue and the need for Frey to speak at any and every time. Even when I wasn't talking to other NPCs, Frey and the vambrace she calls "Cuff" were either chatting away or bickering with each other. It does give some in-universe explanation as to why a protagonist would constantly be talking to themselves, and the narrative is self-aware of this since it literally has several story characters ask Frey why she's talking to herself, but it's that kind of self-awareness that feels less tongue-in-cheek and as more of annoyance. Frey and Cuff also go between ribbing each other with light teasing to sometimes straight out being aggressive towards one another.

This also doesn't account for other dialogue that I can only really describe as being emblematic of modern AAA releases. Characters mimick Frey's different dialect (because everyone in Athia speaks "old English," and are often puzzled by what Frey says be it slang, a reference to pop culture, or even swearing weirdly enough) in what I assume was supposed to be funny, but ultimately fell flat and left me rolling my eyes in some instances. Frey herself isn't a particularly charismatic lead. She's often uncouth in a way that feels mean, though she sometimes lets her guard down to become the reluctant hero Athia deserves. That said, it feels like Forspoken can't juggle what it wants to be tonally, and may potentially suffer from it further in the game.

Forspoken offers an interesting combat system, with a fairly decent method of traversal, and a vast open world that feels alive due to how populous enemies are. However, its narrative leaves me feeling unconvinced that Forspoken will leave a lasting impression on players, outside of general annoyances as the writing. It's such a strange amalgamation of a game, and it feels like Square Enix's attempt to create what Sony has with its more profitable Western IPs like Horizon Zero Dawn. Time will only tell if Forspoken will reach the same level of success, or if it will go the way of Marvel's Avengers.

Forspoken will come out on January 24, 2023 for the PS5 and Windows PC. A demo is immediately available for PlayStation 5.

The post Preview: Forspoken's Combat Shines Bright Against Middling Dialogue appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:00 PM
    

Key art for Phyrexia: All Will Be One centres on Elesh Norn, a key villain in MTG lore

Famed horror manga artist Junji Ito makes a surprise return to Magic: The Gathering with a full art treatment of classic villain Elesh Norn in the upcoming set Phyrexia: All Will Be One. It will be released in February 2023, as revealed in Wizards of the Coast's WeeklyMTG stream on December 13, 2023. People will see the card in-game in Magic: The Gathering Arena first on February 7, 2023. It will come to the physical game on February 10, 2023.

Ito renders the card Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines in his signature high-detail, high-contrast style, with a more dramatic, dynamic pose than the graceful aloofness the character is typically depicted in. The card itself includes a powerful effect that doubles the controlling player's enter-the-battlefield effects, while negating the opponent's.

You can check out the card below:
[caption id="attachment_943399" align="aligncenter" width="530"]Junji Ito Magic the Gatherine rendition of Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines, depicts the character with a dynamic pose in his high-contrast style Junji Ito's rendition of Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines[/caption]

Junji Ito is a natural choice for Magic: The Gathering's Phyrexia: All Will Be One's visual themes of body horror and transhumanism. The Phyrexians – one of the oldest and most influential villains in Magic: The Gathering – view organic material as a near-religious transgression, and believe perfection can be achieved by replacing flesh with mechanical components, a process known as "compleation".

Junji Ito previously partnered with Wizards of the Coast for a timed exclusive Secret Lair drop for Magic: The Gathering in October 2023, which included four reprints of classic cards with new artwork. This return is the first time Ito's art has been used for a newly-released card.

Several renowned Japanese artists have contributed artwork to Magic: The Gathering in recent years, including Metal Gear Solid Character Designer Yoji Shinkawa, Gundam artist Naochika Morishita, and Fate/Grand Order artist Mawkawa Yuichi. Wizards of the Coast is also introducing Final Fantasy cards into the franchise in 2024.

Phyrexia: All Will Be One is released digitally in Magic: The Gathering Arena on February 7, 2023, with a tabletop release on February 10, 2023.

The post Junji Ito Returns to Magic: The Gathering for More Body Horror appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:30 PM
    

Slime Rancher 2 Nendoroid of Beatrix Comes with 3 Slimes

The Slime Rancher 2 Nendoroid of Beatrix LeBeau, the game's recurring heroine, will arrive in 2023 alongside three kinds of slimes. The figure will show up first in Japan in June 2023. After that, it will appear in August 2023 in North America. It will cost ¥8,900/$61.99.

Unlike most Nendoroids, this one only comes with one face plate. It shows Beatrix smiling. She also has her Vacpack vacuum, which she uses in-game to suck up slimes and their plorts. Speaking of which, there is one Batty Slime, one Cotton Slime, and the familiar Pink Slime. People also get one plort and a slime corral for poses.

Here's the official announcement for the Nendoroid. It also includes some altered game footage. It ends with a side-by-side comparison of the figure next to the Slime Rancher 2 version of the heroine.

And here are some pictures offering a better look at Beatrix with the slimes. The included stands mean someone can pose the slimes as though they are leaping or being sucked into Beatrix's vacuum.
[gallery columns="5" size="full" ids="943456,943457,943458,943459,943460" link="file"]

The Slime Rancher 2 Beatrix LeBeau Nendoroid will appear in Japan in June 2023 and in North America in August 2023. Pre-orders will close on January 26, 2023. Slime Rancher 2 is available in early access on the Xbox Series X and PC via Steam.

The post Slime Rancher 2 Nendoroid of Beatrix Comes with 3 Slimes appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:00 PM
    

witch on the holy night header review

It is not an exaggeration to say that anyone who is a fan of the Nasuverse should experience Witch on the Holy Night (Mahoutsukai no Yoru). It is an incredibly important game in the Nasuverse web, since it is the foundation on which the other works stand. Because of its relatively small cast, it is a good way to introduce a friend into the wonderful world of Nasu. It also provides some explanation on topics that reoccur throughout his works, such as the Swirl of the Root. However, some issues with the English localization in particular set it on the edge of accessibility.

Editor's Note: This review does not contain any spoilers outside of what is in the summary of Witch on the Holy Night.

witch on the holy night 1

Witch on the Holy Night's premise is fairly simple. Aoko Aozaki, lives in a mansion with her roommate Alice Kuonji. Both of them are mages. However, Alice is far more powerful than Aoko, due to the fact that Alice is a Witch. In the beginning of the game, Soujyuro Sizuki moves to Misaki Town. He is completely clueless about city life, which frustrates Aoko to no end. His peaceful school days end when he stumbles across Aoko and Alice using magic. Though Aoko tries to silence him, circumstances force Aoko and Sizuki to become allies. This eventually culminates into Soujyuro living with Alice and Aoko in their mansion until they can figure out what to do about him.

[gallery columns="2" ids="943042,943043" link="file"]

The game took me about 30 hours to complete. As a pure visual novel, there are no game mechanics to lose yourself in or other routes to explore. Of course, there is a lot of text to get through. But the way that the game divides the sentences make it easy to digest without feeling overwhelmed. It helps that the story and worldbuilding are fascinating. The characters, even the side ones, are all charming. I was often so entranced by what was on the screen that I felt like hours had passed. In reality, though, only an hour did. The development team did a great job in making scenes feel suspenseful and exciting with the music, scene transitions, and voice acting.

My main complaint lies with the localization. As a whole, it was pretty good. There are some odd sentences here and there that I can easily attribute to Nasu's idiosyncratic way of writing. However, there are some glaring issues with punctuation and grammar that I believe came from a lack of editing time. There are lots of sentences that are unnatural to read. It feels like the translator meant to round back to them later, but did not have the time to do so. There are also some errors with punctuation. Some sentences required a comma in order to split the clauses up correctly. Other times, the mistake was as simple as hitting the comma button twice. As a whole, the English localization felt like it needed some polish.

While the game remains coherent, these problems with the localization are immensely distracting. That is not a great thing when the entire game is just reading. It would be one thing if the translation in an action or shooting game included a lot of minor errors. It's another when the massive bulk of the game is text-based. I definitely felt like there was a general lack of time or manpower because of this. Though unfortunate, I hope that there will be a patch of some sort in the future to fix the mistakes.

Some might say that little grammar issues aren't that big a deal. Most people might be able to gloss over misplaced comma or two. Others might not think too hard about whether or not a clause should use the past perfect or the simple past. However, I think most people will notice something like "thongs" instead of "things." At best, the English mistakes served as minor distractions. At worse, they straight up took me out of the game.

[gallery columns="4" link="file" ids="943044,943045,943046,943047"]

Witch on the Holy Night tells a fun and engaging story with tons of well-written and fleshed-out characters I can't get enough of. The English translation is, for better or for worse, very true to the original text. There were some lines that I felt like I could reverse-engineer back into Japanese, due to how long the sentences ran or how strange the string of words were. Because of that, I feel like the game is somewhat unfriendly at times for people unfamiliar with Nasu's works. Even I had to reread some sentences a few times in order to fully comprehend it. The game itself feels polished, but the localization needed a bit more quality control. Fortunately, extra commas and misspelled words do little to dampen one's enjoyment of Nasu's yarn.

Witch on the Holy Night is digitally available for the Nintendo Switch and PS4. Physical editions of the game will come out on January 27, 2023. You can download the demo to see if this kind of game is for you. The movie adaptation is in development as well and will appear some time in 2023.

The post Review: Witch on the Holy Night is Enchanting appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:30 PM
    

Process of Elimination Release Date Set for April 2023

NIS America shared a new Process of Elimination trailer and it included a release date. The game will appear in North America first. People can get the Switch and PS4 copies on April 11, 2023. The European debut will follow on April 14, 2023. This falls within the previously announced Spring 2023 launch window.

As for the Process of Elimination trailer, it sets the stage for what will happen in the game. It begins by introducing Wato Hojo. He's one of fourteen detectives in the game. However, as the video quickly shows, he's "incompetent," hasn't solved any cases and doesn't possess any "notable abilities." He's thrown into a situation in which one of the 14 detectives is a murderer. This means characters like Downtown Detective, Ideal Detective, Renegade Detective, Techie Detective, and Workaholic Detective could be his ally or enemy. After showing each of those other five characters, brief bits of English gameplay highlighting them comes up in the video.

Here's the Process of Elimination Story Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fAclYz51eo&ab_channel=NISAmerica

The Process of Elimination North American release date is April 11, 2023. It will show up in Europe a few days later on April 14, 2023. People will be able to play it on the Switch and PS4.

The post Process of Elimination Release Date Set for April 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:00 PM
    

Burn the Witch figures

Bandai Namco announced that Ninny Spangcole and Noel Niihashi from Burn the Witch are getting turned into two new figures. The figures are now available for pre-order on Amazon for 27,500 yen, approximately $204. They are scheduled for release on October 30, 2023 in the region. Burn the Witch is the newest series from Bleach creator Tite Kubo. [Thank you, Dengeki Hobby!]

Here you can see a preview of how the figures will look like.

[gallery ids="943483,943486,943485,943484" link="file"]

The figures are 1/6 scale, which means they are approximately 12 inches tall. The Burn the Witch figures depict Noel and Ninny right as they are casting magic. Accompanying them are a support base and large magic effect parts made of clear material.

The story of Burn the Witch is set in the Bleach universe. It follows Noel and Ninny, two withes working for the Western Branch of the Soul Society, located in Reverse London. We still don't know when Burn the Witch will continue. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the anime adaptation of the last arc of Tite Kubo's previous manga is currently airing.

Volume 1 of the Burn the Witch manga is available on Viz Media. The anime is streaming on Crunchyroll. The anime is also available on Blu-ray via Viz Media.

The post Burn the Witch Ninny and Noel Figures' Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:30 PM
    

FFVII Remake Zack Rebirth Voice Actor

Kenichi Suzumura, the Japanese voice actor for Zack Fair in Final Fantasy VII Remake, teased Zack's involvement in further entries of the trilogy like the part 2, Rebirth. "Zack will also play a very active role", Suzumura said in an interview with Famitsu. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

The latest issue of Famitsu included some words from Kenichi Suzumura, the Japanese voice actor for Zack Fair.

There is not much I can say about it, but it seems like Zack will be playing a very active role as well (laughs). As an actor, I will be adding color and spice to the performance. As a fan myself, I think I will be having fun.

It is unclear if recordings for part 2 Rebirth started, or how much of the FFVII Rebirth script the voice of Zack is privy to. But after the ending of FFVII Remake and the additional scenes added to FFVII Remake Intergrade, it seems player can expect to see more of the character in the future.

Crisis Core FFVII Reunion, the remaster of the classic PSP title, recently released as a way to bring back a classic entry in the FFVII Compilation. It is also a way to prepare the setting for newcomers that might have started their journey with Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC. FFVII Rebirth will appear on the PS5 in Winter 2023 and might include references to Zack Fair.

The post FFVII Remake Zack Japanese Voice Actor Teases Character's Future appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Crunchyroll Winter 2023 Anime Lineup Has Trigun Stampede, Miss Nagatoro

Crunchyroll revealed its Winter 2023 anime lineup. Some of the shows are expected titles we knew were on the way. These include the Trails of Cold Steel anime series Northern War and the new Trigun Stampede story. Aniplex also revealed NieR Automata's anime would show up there. However, the announcement also confirmed shows like Miss Nagatoro's new season, Bungo Stray Dogs's new season, and Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement.

Here is the full lineup of Crunchyroll Winter 2023 anime adaptations and shows, starting with Lee's Detective Agency in December 2022.

  • Ayakashi Triangle (German dub confirmed) - January 9, 2023
  • Buddy Daddies (English dub confirmed) - January 6, 2023
  • By the Grace of the Gods season 2 (English and French dubs confirmed) - January 8, 2023
  • Bungo Stray Dogs season 4 (Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, and Latin American Spanish dubs confirmed) - January 4, 2023
  • Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill - January 10, 2023
  • Chillin' in my 30s After Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army - January 7, 2023
  • Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro season 2 (Brazilian Portuguese, English, German, and Latin American Spanish dubs confirmed) - January 7, 2023
  • The Fire Hunter - January 14, 2023
  • The Fruit of Evolution 2: Before I Knew It, My Life Had It Made (English dub confirmed) - January 13, 2023
  • Handyman Saitou in Another World (English dub confirmed) - January 8, 2023
  • The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague (English dub confirmed) - January 4, 2023
  • The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World (English and German dubs confirmed) - January 5, 2023
  • In/Spectre - January 8, 2023
  • Kaina of the Great Snow Sea - January 11, 2023
  • Lee's Detective Agency - December 23, 2022
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War (English dub confirmed) - January 6, 2023
  • Malevolent Spirits: Monogatari - January 9, 2023
  • The Misfit of Demon King Academy Ⅱ: History's Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants (English and French dubs confirmed) - January 7, 2023
  • Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity Will Save the World (English dub confirmed) - January 10, 2023
  • Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister - January 5, 2023
  • Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-king to Extraordinary Squire - January 9, 2023
  • The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World (English and French dubs confirmed) - January 7, 2023
  • Revenger (English dub confirmed) - January 5, 2023
  • Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement (English and French dubs confirmed) - January 7, 2023
  • Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Chaos in Urbanrama - January 18, 2023
  • Sugar Apple Fairy Tale (English dub confirmed) - January 6, 2023
  • The Tale of Outcasts - January 8, 2023
  • Tomo-chan is a Girl (English, French, German, and Russian dubs confirmed) - January 4, 2023
  • Trigun Stampede (Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Latin American Spanish, and Russian dubs confirmed) - January 7, 2023
  • The Vampire Dies in No Time - January 9, 2023
  • Vinland Saga season 2 (Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, and Latin American dubs confirmed) - January 9, 2023

This is the list of Crunchyroll Winter 2023 anime shows that will continue from Fall 2022.

  • Case Closed
  • Bluelock
  • Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
  • Delicious Party Pretty Cure
  • Digimon Ghost Game
  • Idolish7 Third Beat
  • My Hero Academia season 6
  • One Piece
  • Play it Cool, Guys
  • Shadowverse Flame
  • To Your Eternity season 2
  • Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season 3
  • Yowamushi Pedal Limit Break

The announcement also didn't offer release dates for three shows. Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense season 2 will appear with an English dub. Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac will appear too, along with Brazilian Portuguese, English, and Latin American dubs. Crunchyroll also confirmed Brazilian Portuguese, English; French, German, and Latin American dubs for NieR Automata Ver1.1a. It didn't list a date for it, though Aniplex said it will start streaming on January 7, 2023 too.

The post Crunchyroll Winter 2023 Anime Lineup Has Trigun Stampede, Miss Nagatoro appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:15 PM
    

NieR Automata Anime Will Be Streaming on Crunchyroll

People worldwide will be able to watch the NieR Automata anime adaptation, as it will be streaming on Crunchyroll. Aniplex of America confirmed both it and The Misfit of Demon King Academy II: History's Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants will appear on the subscription service. Both will debut there on January 7, 2023. This falls in line with the NieR Automata Ver1.1a January 2023 launch window already confirmed for Japan.

The Crunchyroll announcement also confirmed dubs for the show. Additional options will add Brazilian Portuguese, English; French, German, and Latin American voice acting.

The announcement included the official art of 2B in NieR Automata Ver1.1a. Here is the key art.
NieR Automata Anime Will Be Streaming on Crunchyroll

This is the second major NieR Automata anime announcement to come up in December 2022. Earlier in the month, details about A2 appeared. Key art and a teaser trailer for the heroine appeared. It also confirmed that Ayaka Suwa will return to voice her. Suwa also played A2 in the game.

As for The Misfit of Demon King Academy II: History's Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants, Aniplex also shared a new trailer for it.

People will find the NieR Automata anime adaptation Ver1.1a streaming on Crunchyroll starting on January 7, 2023. The game is immediately available on various platforms like the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The post NieR Automata Anime Will Be Streaming on Crunchyroll appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:00 PM
    

New FFVII Remake Concept Art Looks at Weapons for Cloud 1

Kirby and Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai revealed he received permission from Square Enix for his choice of thumbnail art of his latest YouTube video, which depicts Final Fantasy characters Cloud and Sephiroth, on Twitter. However, the video itself makes no use of either of them – or any Square Enix characters.

The video, "Making Lead-ins Instant and Impactful [Animation]", is a succinct 2:27 video exploring the function of animation lead-in. Otherwise known as anticipation or windup, lead-in is an valuable tool in lending heft and weight to character movement, and obscuring network lag in online games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8DKndKkHw8

Sakurai's videos frequently use example animation from Super Smash Bros Ultimate to illustrate the core points of his YouTube videos. However, despite explicitly mentioning Square Enix's endorsement of this video's thumbnail, which depicts Cloud and Sephiroth mid-combat, Sakurai does not use any Final Fantasy or Square Enix characters. Instead, Sakurai chose to use characters including Fox McCloud, Link, and even Xenoblade Chronicles 2's Pyra.


He did, however, note the unusual choice of using Cloud and Sephiroth, and congratulated Square Enix on the release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion. Sakurai is no stranger to using his YouTube series, Masahiro Sakurai on Making Games, to tease his audience, including a direct reference to an unconfirmed console port of Kid Icarus: Uprising in November.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is available now for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. One of Masahiro Sakurai's last videos looked at the SSBU Kazuya Kazama animations.

The post Masahiro Sakurai Sought Permission From Square Enix for Latest Video appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:30 AM
    

My Time at Sandrock Update Focuses on the Character Logan

The latest My Time at Sandrock update is live, and it focuses on telling the story of the character Logan. Logan is an NPC who was mentioned in My Time at Portia and is a wanted criminal. He joins in Hey Old Pals Part 2 – The Secret Behind the Mask. (The first part of that update launched in November 2022.)

Logan is a bandit in My Time at Sandrock. After his father Howlett died, Logan left Sandrock and began stealing from trains and engaging in illegal activities. While his past hasn't really been explored prior to this, the new update will offer an opportunity to cross paths with him and find out more about his motivations.

Here's a teaser video focusing on the new Logan storyline in My Time at Sandrock, though other characters appear in passing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM9BglnjOQY&ab_channel=MyTimeatSandrock

There's also an almost 50 minute long developer stream discussing the addition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LplAXewEyAU&ab_channel=MyTimeatSandrock

Here's the full list of My Time at Sandrock patch notes for the Hey Old Pals Part 2 – The Secret Behind the Mask update from Steam. The announcement also noted that, due to members of the team suffering from COVID-19, there may be bugs that will be fixed in the future.

Added
  • Added the main stories
  • Added two-story dungeons
  • Added a mineral dungeon
  • Added some plots of Qi, Pen, Miguel, and Justice
  • Added some localizations for French, Spanish, Italian, German
  • Added the feature of NPCs looking for players to play
  • Added tones to bubble dialogues when NPCs join the party
  • Added some NPCs' daily tones to bubble dialogues
  • Added new commissions
  • Added the face lift function
  • Added the mount training function, you can improve the quality of any mounts now
As a side note, the new content's localization will be ready later. At the moment, we only have EN and CN ready.

Adjustment
  • Adjusted the ranch store so that perfect quality mounts are the highest stocked
  • Optimized NPCs' performance when accepting gifts
  • Optimized the show room functionality
  • Optimized the display when changing settings
  • Optimized several previews of the show room, and more optimizations are underway
  • Optimized Yakmel cart confirmation pop-up display for the 2nd time
Fixed
  • Fixed most bugs affecting player progress
  • Fixed Fang side quest and main quest conflicts
  • Fixed Fang side quest camera issues
  • Fixed an issue where Arvio's side quest items were blocking the path
  • Fixed a bug with Arvio's side quest
  • Fixed freeze issue when sparring
  • Fixed a bug where the Redrat could not attack players
  • Fixed bug where monster and player died at the same time
  • Fixed NPC poisoning debuff issue
  • Fixed an issue where some Civil Corps Commission icons were missing
  • Fixed an issue where cooking stations were unable to use materials from storage boxes
  • Fixed the attribute problem after equipment refinement
  • Fixed a bug where some new machines were not refined
  • Fixed an issue where some items could not be displayed in the Museum
  • Fixed an issue where treasure chests were not able to be opened in the Breach
  • Fixed an issue where Exquisite Frames could not replace photos
  • Fixed the wrong prompt for Magnesium-Chromium Brick
  • Fixed incorrect display of fine wood scrap output
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in an incorrect display of outfit equipment on the quick bar
  • Fixed an issue where the goggle model was in the wrong position
  • Fixed some gear and hairstyle modeling issues
  • Fixed time display issue in mount training prompt
  • Fixed an issue when NPCs riding the horse
  • Fixed issues with petting mounts
  • Fixed an issue where preferences were not displayed correctly after feeding the mount
  • Fixed an issue that prevented some buildings from accumulating snow in winter
  • Fixed an issue where some buildings were not visible on new saves
  • Fixed an issue where some monsters and rocks would overlap
  • Fixed the monster floating issue
  • Fixed camera issues in group photo mode
  • Fixed an issue where characters would sometimes speak without opening their mouths
  • Fixed some English typos
  • Fixed a text display bug in Paradise Lost
  • Fixed incorrect display of train stations in Russian
Known Issues
  • Amirah will eat at Arvio's house during the Masquerade Ball quest
  • Contaminated Plierimp voice cannot be triggered
  • Footprint problems
  • Grace's tongue is in an unusual position when she speaks
  • Heidi's dialogue issue
  • In Mole Mineral Cave, open the treasure detector to scan, and the rock will glow blue
  • Mounts are spinning after the return
  • Planting knowledge negatively affects dew collectors
  • Some lag issues after new content
  • The task prompt on the map does not disappear after completing the Clear the Boulders quest
  • Unable to unlock Waste Not Want Not Achievement

My Time at Sandrock is available in early access for PCs, and the Hey Old Pals part 2 update is live now.

The post My Time at Sandrock Update Focuses on the Character Logan appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Street Fighter 6 Dee Jay, JP, Marisa, and Manon Character Profiles Shared

Capcom took to Twitter to share profiles and video clips of Street Fighter 6 characters Dee Jay, JP, Marisa, and Manon. Each one featured a new piece of official art showing the person's design in-game.

Dee Jay first appeared in Super Street Fighter II. He's known for his kickboxing-inspired moveset. In addition to games, he also appeared in comics and animated adaptations.

Here's his official profile and art.

And this is a video showing him performing Jus Cool.

JP is one of Street Fighter 6's new characters. His profile notes he's a major figure in the country of Nayshall. This is a new location appearing in this entry.

Like JP, Marisa is a newcomer in Street Fighter 6. She's Greek, and her costume in her official art has a Spartan sort of look to it.

There's also a video showing her fighting Manon.

The final one of the new Street Fighter 6 characters officially revealed at The Game Awards 2022 is Manon. She's both a fighter and model. Here's her art and profile.

Her gameplay footage also shows her facing off against Marisa.

Street Fighter 6 will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on June 2, 2023. Its second closed beta will be held December 16-19, 2022.

The post Street Fighter 6 Dee Jay, JP, Marisa, and Manon Character Profiles Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:45 PM
     High On Life Fans Sweezy Time BubbleWhile venturing through the wacky world of High on Life, you may come across a spinning fan or two. These fans would not be all that noteworthy, except that they block players off from certain areas. You may see some loot off in the distance and attempt to grab it, only to come away disappointed because a fan would not let you access it. Fortunately, High on Life does eventually provide players with the means on how to stop and circumvent these fans and reach new areas. This guide will tell you at what point in the game you can accomplish this. To gain the ability to bypass these fans, you will first have to travel to Port Terrene and play through the bounty mission where you take on Douglas. After a long trek, you will have to engage in a boss encounter with Douglas, who wields one of the sentient weapons you find throughout the game. This particular weapon goes by the name Sweezy, and she can fire Time Bubbles that do exactly what you think they do. After you take care of Douglas,...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:30 PM
     The Witcher 3 crashing next gen update how to fix pcIf you were anywhere near as eager as us to play The Witcher 3 next-gen update, you are likely now down at the tavern feeling woes aplenty due to the crashing, bad performance, and other bugs. Many users including us have experienced technical issues, and CDPR has already acknowledged that it is aware of the problems and is investigating. There are sure to be incoming hotfixes to address at least some of the issues with The Witcher 3 next-gen update, but we've fortunately found a few workarounds in the meantime for those who just want to play. How to stop The Witcher 3 from crashing with the next-gen update The main issue affecting players is the crashing that occurs upon loading any save into the world. We did some limited testing with an Nvidia graphics card and found two solutions. Change the API The easiest option is unfortunately a less desirable option. When you initially launch the game, it now goes to a second launcher, or hub, as pictured below. Launch the game in the ol...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:00 PM
     Winter Wonderland 2It's the holiday season — the season of giving, to be precise. And after Blizzard spooked fans by not giving away any skins for free in Overwatch 2's first Halloween event, the developer has decided to be a bit more jolly. 'Tis the season, after all. The lack of an unlockable skin in the Halloween event was a major sticking point for fans. But now, players have something to work towards in the Overwatch 2 Winter Wonderland event — an unlockable skin for Brigitte. Winter Wonderland is Overwatch 2's first winter holiday event, although it was an annual celebration in the original game as well. Not much has changed for fans between this game and the last when it comes to this event. There are still a couple of rotating game modes for fans to enjoy, including Mei's Snowball Offensive, Yeti Hunter, and Freezethaw Elimination. Mei's Snowball Offensive allows you to play as Mei and shoot snowballs at enemies in both a 5v5 and FFA format. Yeti H...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:02 PM
     What Is Building 21 In Warzone 2 Dmz FeatThe Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 1 Reloaded update brought about new content and plenty of changes. However, there is one particular new feature that may draw the eye of the more hardcore CoD crowd. The Season 1 patch notes mention a new area in DMZ mode. But what is Building 21 in Warzone DMZ, and how to you access it? What is Building 21 in Warzone 2 DMZ Building 21 is a bit of a puzzling existence in Warzone 2 DMZ mode. Briefly shown via a screenshot, the building houses a "biological laboratory." The visual shows a darkened interior with few lights. Small trees still thrive in what looks like a lounge area, while a second raised section beckons players to explore more. But what exactly is Building 21 all about? At the moment, the location remains a mystery, and what it hides is currently unknown. But whatever waits within, Activision states that it's "outside of Al Mazrah" and is a "hyper-dangrous new area," so only t...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:30 PM
     High On Life how to open Luglox chests KennySquanch Games' new first-person shooter High on Life just released yesterday, which means fans of Rick and Morty can see what Justin Roiland and team have in store for them this time. While exploring and dealing with the characters' incessant chatter, you will likely come across a few Luglox chests. These living chests hide goodies, but you won't have the means to open them right away. So how far do you have to progress in High on Life before you can open these Luglox chests? This guide will contain the answers you may be looking for. To open the Luglox chests placed throughout the game's world, you will first have to obtain the sentient melee weapon Knifey. The game dishes out Knifey as a reward for completing the first bounty, so this task won't take much time at all. Keep in mind, though, that this bounty pits players against 9-Torg, the first boss, at the end. Fortunately, you will have Knifey in your possession at that point, so make use of him a...

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:00 PM
    

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Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:00 PM
     Bring out your best Ghostbusters impression and slay those haunted spirits. There are currently eight unique zones in Diablo Immortal – Ashworld Cemetery, Dark Wood, Library of Zoltun Kulle, Bilefen, Shassar Sea, Mount Zavain, Realm of Damnation, and Frozen Tundra. All of these zones feature specific achievements that you can complete in exchange for random […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, December 14, 2022 2:00 PM
     Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set in olden times in the Pokemon world when it was rare to find harmony between people and Pokemon. Set in Hisui, modern-day Sinnoh, you will join the Galaxy Expedition Team (Galaxy Team for short) as a member of the Survey Corps stationed in Jubilife Village. You will be tasked to […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, December 14, 2022 1:00 PM
     Blind your enemies with these awesome KAYO flash lineups on Bind. Bind is one of the smallest maps in VALORANT, thanks to the absence of a traditional middle lane that shaved off quite a bit of real estate. Bind's small size and the presence of the teleporters make it an action-packed map where rotations and […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:00 PM
     Lester needs three Gauntlets for the Big Score. Here's where to find all three Gauntlets in GTA 5. The Gauntlet mission in GTA 5 is a series of heist setup mission that is given to Michael, Franklin, or Trevor in preparation for The Big Score. Lester asks the team to locate three Gauntlets and modify […]

WGB, Home of AWESOME Reviews Wednesday, December 14, 2022 12:18 PM
     Following up on greatness is never easy. Santa Monica had the element of surprise when they revived God of War in 2018 and so when the world got to experience the epic return of Kratos it became a hit of Godlike proportions, selling millions of copies, snatching up awards like Kratos grabbing Hacksilver and becoming one of the most beloved Playstation games in history. But God of War: Ragnarock doesn't have the element of surprise; we know what to expect now, what Santa Monica can do with the Ghost of Sparta. So after a 4-year wait, has God of War: Ragnarock delivered the epic climax we were all hoping for?

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 14, 2022 5:06 PM
    

Features cutscenes, voice lines, and combat gameplay

The post Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Gets New 'Action' Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:25 PM
    

The lineup includes WWE 2K22, Far Cry 5, Judgment, and more.

The post PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium December Games Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:50 PM
    

A new trailer was also released on the Persona series Japanese PR Twitter account.

The post Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden PC and Console Ports Get New Details appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, December 14, 2022 3:14 PM
    

The publisher also announced its plans to fund and support smaller indie development studios

The post Private Division and Bloober Team To Develop New Survival Horror Game appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Level Up Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:52 AM
     PlayStation has <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2022/12/14/playstation-plus-game-catalog-lineup-for-december-far-cry-5-judgment-mortal-shell-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> the December 2022 PlayStation Plus game catalog lineup, and…