May 09, 20:00


Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 7:30 PM
    

31-year-old British man Andrew Hague has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of the murder of his neighbour, 50-year-old Simon Wilkinson.

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 6:40 PM
    

In the early years of Disney's ownership of Star Wars, it felt like the company wasn't interested in any era of the franchise beyond the original trilogy. The material it mined for its own projects came largely from those films, leaving vast swaths of Star Wars history by the wayside. But more recently, Disney and…

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:55 PM
    

What in the world? Longtime Pokémon maker GameFreak just announced something completely unrelated that will be published by Take-Two's Private Division label. Codenamed Project Bloom, it's in early development and billed as an action adventure game and…that's basically all we know about it.

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:30 PM
    

Overwatch 2's latest event, Starwatch, might as well be a licensed Star Wars tribute. While it may have missed May the 4th, the new PvP(vE) event is full of legally distinct tributes to the franchise, from an homage to the iconic text crawl in the accompanying comic to characters like Baptiste donning a bounty hunter…

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 4:55 PM
    

At this point, saying Redfall ain't that great of a time is hardly a new or hot take. But, to be fair, it kind of felt like the stakes were out for developer Arkane's co-op infected immersive sim even before its release. So is our collective disappointment just a self-fulfilling prophecy? Are we merely burnt out on…

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 4:25 PM
    

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 4:15 PM
    

Burger King has revealed a menu item based on the upcoming animated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and it's a spider-suit hamburger. The Spider-Man Whopper is based on the film's lead Miles Morales, but it's a weird choice because his suit isn't predominantly red like the Whopper bun is.

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:40 PM
    

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is really, really good. You've probably heard this already. Our own review and other reviews of the game have praised it quite a bit. But this isn't a review. Instead, this is just us reaffirming that, yeah, it really is as good as so many other people have claimed. In fact, some of us at

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:15 PM
    

Mega YouTuber MrBeast, aka 25-year-old Jimmy Donaldson, has been casually buying extensive property in a North Carolina neighborhood for him, his family, and his employees to live in, the New York Post reports. In the last five years, Donaldson has already purchased five homes on the same Greenville street, most of…

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Kotaku Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:11 PM
    

We're finally getting another update on what sort of content we might expect to see in Bethesda's upcoming spacefaring RPG, Starfield. Rather than coming directly from its publisher, however, we're getting this information from the game's ESRB rating. The advisory board's description reveals that the game will allow…

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PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 6:31 PM
     Honkai Star Rail codes and how to redeem

May 9, 2023: We checked for new Honkai Star Rail codes to add to our list.

Looking for all the active Honkai Star Rail codes? If you're just starting your adventure through developer Hoyoverse's latest anime epic, you might be wondering if there are any codes at launch for freebies to give you the edge in battle, such as Stellar Jade, Credits, or Logs. Thankfully, Hoyoverse has delivered, and we've gathered all the active Honkai Star Rail codes in our list down below.

With Honkai Star Rail now out in the wild, players are digging into the characters, world, and tactical turn-based combat. As such, we've put together an expert Honkai Star Rail tier list and information on the latest Honkai Star Rail banner, too. But now, without further ado, here's what to expect from every Honkai Star Rail redeem code, as well as info on how to redeem them, what free rewards they'll provide, and where to find more of them.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:37 PM
     Project Mugetsu codes May 2023

May 9, 2023: We added four new Project Mugetsu codes to our list and checked to see if any have expired.

Want all the new Project Mugetsu codes? The anime combat game has taken Roblox by storm as of late, meaning you're likely on the hunt for active PM codes that will give you the edge against your opponents in the heat of battle. The codes in our list down below serve up a nice variety of wonderful gifts, ranging from mastery and gold boosts to free spins and rerolls. It's important to redeem them as soon as they drop, as they won't remain active forever.

Creating a fresh character in the free PC game can be tough, and having to fight Hollow to level up can be a grindy process, so getting a bunch of gifts as you begin your journey will make the Bleach-inspired Roblox anime brawler a much more enjoyable experience. If you're a fan of blocky creative endeavours, check out the best Roblox games in 2023 and our list of Roblox promo codes for free clothes. Below you'll find all the latest PM codes to help you out with the Easter update and beyond, including information on the rewards you'll get for redeeming each one.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:12 PM
     Best SSD for gaming 2023

What is the best SSD for gaming? We've been keeping up with the latest (and, of course, fastest) solid state drives, racing their read and write speeds against one another. With storage requirements growing ever larger, it's never been more important to make sure your system's got plenty of space for your current and future favourite games.

Continue reading Best SSD for gaming 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:35 PM
     Get 120 games for just $10, and help earthquake victims

A new Itch sale offers you 120 PC games, as well as soundtracks, artworks, and other game-related works, for just $10 (£8), with all your money going to various charities that are supporting victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The Itch bundle collects indie games, platformers, and detective games from 135 different game-makers, with the aim of raising $500,000 (£396,000) for earthquake-related causes.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best free games, When is the next Steam sale?, Best indie games

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:34 PM
     Best gaming headset 2023

What is the best gaming headset? Our ears are ringing with glee after having spent countless hours listening out for the perfect pair of gaming headphones paired with a magnificent microphone. It's important that your games sound as good as they look, and our guide and reviews will help you find the right cans to clamp to your head.

Continue reading Best gaming headset 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:31 PM
     All Star Wars Jedi Survivor Cal Kestis cosmetics and outfits

Are you searching for all Star Wars Jedi Survivor Cal Kestis cosmetics? These allow you to change the appearance of the game's hero and are strewn across the universe. We've spent dozens of hours in the game rooting out these cosmetics, including hard-to-find items, such as Cal's tactical set and hunter set.

We'll show you how to get these goodies as you explore various planets. The Star Wars Jedi Survivor Cal Kestis cosmetics are just one category of collectibles in the game. You can also head out on the search for BD-1 cosmeticsLightsaber partsBlaster parts, and weapon materials.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Star Wars Jedi Survivor lightsaber colors, Star Wars Jedi Survivor review, Star Wars Jedi Survivor system requirements

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:35 PM
     The best PC games 2023

What are the best PC games available today? From triple-A world-beaters like GTA V to enchanting indie releases such as Rocket League, these classics are the biggest games across Steam, Epic Games Store and more.

Finding the top PC games is no easy task. There are, you may have noticed, quite a lot of them. From the 50,000 plus Steam games to… all those other platforms you love so much, there has never been more choice available to the discerning PC gamer.

Continue reading The best PC games 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:27 PM
     Destiny 2's most controversial character is… Archie the dog?

Destiny 2's Archie the dog has become the FPS game's most controversial character after a satirical post analyzing Bungie's development process regarding the Destiny 2 robo-pup garnered over 6,000 upvotes.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 Lightfall review, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 3:23 PM
     How to use Star Wars Jedi Survivor floating balloons

Wondering how to use Star Wars Jedi Survivor floating balloons? These curious looking objects hang in mid-air and, no matter how hard you try, there seems to be no way to interact with them. Thankfully, you'll have a way to make use of these eventually.

The Star Wars Jedi Survivor floating balloons or grapple balloons are just one type of method to aid in your exploration. There are others, which we discuss in our traversal abilities guide. Likewise, several facets related to combat and exploration mechanics are cited in our guides on the best skills and Blaster parts, like the Quickdraw Blaster cosmetic.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Star Wars Jedi Survivor lightsaber colors, Star Wars Jedi Survivor review, Star Wars Jedi Survivor system requirements

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 2:05 PM
     Destiny 2 Nightfall weapons – What is the Nightfall weapon this week?

Want to know what this week's Destiny 2 Nightfall weapon is? Each week you've got a chance at a different weapon for completing Nightfall Strikes, and ever since Season of the Lost, fan-favourite legacy weapons from the original Destiny has been added to the rotation. New seasons often introduce new weapons into the rotation, so it's more important than ever to know in advance the Nightfall weapon schedule.

Nightfall: The Ordeal is a playlist available in the Vanguard menu, alongside the basic Strike playlist in the free PC game. Each week, a different Strike is chosen as the Nightfall, and offered in five escalating difficulties, with harder enemies, challenging modifiers, and enemy power levels cranking up. The coveted Nightfall weapons have a chance to drop from any Nightfall Strike difficulty, but it's far more likely at higher levels, which is something you'll want to maximise your chances for with the Destiny 2 Lightfall release date that recently passed. Your best bet for farming each week's Nightfall weapon is to set the Strike to Master difficulty, or to Grandmaster difficulty when such strikes are available if you have a fireteam up to the task.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 Lightfall review, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:12 PM
     Star Wars Jedi Survivor Devastated Settlement puzzle solution

Do you want to know how to complete the Star Wars Jedi Survivor Devastated Settlement puzzle? It's a bit tricky, but with our guide, you can save yourself the hassle of figuring out how to cross the mountainous canyon on your own.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor is filled with puzzles and platforming adventures, but even the best of us can get stuck sometimes in this action-adventure game from EA and Respawn. Here's what to know about the Devastated Settlement puzzle in Star Wars Jedi Survivor.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Star Wars Jedi Survivor lightsaber colors, Star Wars Jedi Survivor review, Star Wars Jedi Survivor system requirements

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:02 PM
     Best Honkai Star Rail Dan Heng build

Looking for the best Dan Heng build? The often tight-lipped and more serious member of the Trailblazers, Dan Heng finds himself in the archives of the Astral Express. Don't let his mild-mannered personality fool you, he is a DPS beast. Equipped with a bladed pole-arm, Dan Heng controls the wind element to bolster his attacks. Any upgrades or skill paths need to lean into his ability to land damage and take advantage of enemies with low wind resistance.

If you're looking for the tier list of best characters to accompany Dan Heng in Honkai Star Rail, or you want to concentrate on getting the best builds across your team, we've got you covered. Our extensive research and time in the game covers everything from character builds, to the best team comp, and the locations of materials and chests.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:26 PM
     Best gaming monitor 2023

What is the best gaming monitor? We've spent so long staring at top-tier displays that are eyes are practically going square, as we assess the likes of resolution, refresh rate, response time, and more. We're here to help you find the most suitable screen for your needs, with reviews on everything from 24-inch kings to ultrawide behemoths.

Continue reading Best gaming monitor 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:15 PM
     What is the Destiny 2 Lost Sector today?

Are you looking for Destiny 2 Lost Sector locations for today's daily Legend and Master Lost Sector? Before you can take on Legend Lost Sectors, you need to complete all the normal Lost Sectors first. If you don't, the new Legend Lost Sectors will not appear on the map. Each day, the location, modifiers, and rewards rotate out for something new.

While many Exotics can be bought from Xûr or even in the world loot pool, the Destiny 2 Exotics in these special Lost Sector instances cannot, forcing players to explore these dangerous areas if they want the best equipment available. It's important to remember that exotic drops are not guaranteed after completing these quests, so you may have to run through the same Lost Sector multiple times. You can go through the quests in the free PC game with a fireteam, but your rewards will be reduced to Enhancement Cores only.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Destiny 2 classes, Destiny 2 Lightfall review, Destiny 2 builds

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:27 PM
     Best graphics card 2023

What is the best graphics card? We've put GPUs from both AMD and Nvidia through their paces, to help you find the right pixel pusher for your PC. Here, you'll find details on performance and reviews on the latest and greatest GeForce and Radeon models, with recommendations at every price point.

Continue reading Best graphics card 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:24 PM
     Best antivirus 2023

For all PC-owners the best antivirus should be an important part of your repertoire. You don't want to have your save files corrupted, or your logins leaked so that any digital criminal can steal all your personal information and anything else that you have stored on your PC.

So what's the best antivirus for PC? Well, many gamers are content with Microsoft Defender. Built-in with all modern Windows platforms, Microsoft Defender provides a solid antivirus, along with malware defence, biometric logins (e.g. fingerprints), and more. By all means, it's not a bad place to start, but what about those who aren't fond of Windows Defender? Or those who are looking for something a little more comprehensive?

We've got you covered. In this guide, we've gone over eight of the best antivirus providers, weighing up the costs and benefits of each one in order to help you better defend your own PC. Combine these with the most secure VPN services or the best gaming VPN and you'll have a really solid privacy and security set-up.

Continue reading Best antivirus 2023
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:51 PM
    

I hereby vow for all the world to see that when Starfield launches in September, I will do my damndest to avoid having any sex at all in Bethesda's spacefaring RPG. The North American ratings board have detailed the types of content which earned the game a Mature 17+ rating, including "suggestive material" in dialogue "after sharing a bed with characters". Oh no. The listing includes several examples of post-coital pillow talk, and they are about sexy as you would expect from the studio whose dialogue is best known for inadvertently spawning memes about mudcrabs and knee injuries.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:15 PM
    

The beautiful watercolour vistas of Dordogne have been on my radar for a while now, and happily developers Un Je Ne Sais Quoi have just announced exactly when we'll be able to smoosh our faces in its lovely, puzzle-y paint pot. It's coming to PC and consoles on June 13th, making it the perfect palette cleanser to all the preceding not-E3 nonsense that will be taking place in the days beforehand. I recently played a short demo of Dordogne, and it really is as lovely as its gorgeous screenshots suggest. I'm looking forward to this one a lot.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:00 PM
    

Elite Dangerous finally lets its players inside its mysterious Thargoid Maelstrom clouds today thanks to the arrival of Update 15, but having now seen what's waiting inside thee huge gas giants, you know what? The Thargoids can keep this corner of the galaxy. I'm getting the hell out, because I do not have the space legs to tackle the enormous nasties lurking at the centre of them. But I can tell you about them, though, as Frontier Developments have shared some exclusive sneaky info with us about what players can expect to find when they finally make it in there.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:05 PM
     A definite lack of details, but that certainly won't slow the hype train.

Twinfinite Tuesday, May 9, 2023 3:10 PM
     My father will hear about this!

Twinfinite Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:06 PM
     From soldiers to animalistic machines.

Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 7:30 PM
    

See The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Snapchat Lens

Nintendo announced another promotional item for its next game. There is now a The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Snapchat Lens that is also a clock that offers a countdown to the game's launch. When used, on the left side of the screen you'll see how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds are left until "your adventure begins."

There's no official trailer shared online to show how it works. However, the Snapchat Lens official page for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom countdown clock lens offers a sample. It shows how it uses the same font as the game. Below the message about "your adventure begins," the countdown appears vertically. The hilt of the Master Sword also appears to the left of the person. This would allow it to look like you're about to grasp it.

Nintendo's organized a lot going into the next entry's launch. For example, there will be a Nintendo NYC midnight launch event, which is paired with a Treehouse stream. In Japan, Lawson will feature food and merchandise.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will launch on May 12, 2023, and the Snapchat Lens countdown clock lens is available to use now.

The post See The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Snapchat Lens appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 7:00 PM
    

For the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh OCG, family restaurant Coco's will have a collaboration menu for a limited time. When you order one of the Yu-Gi-Oh dishes from the Japanese restaurant, you will randomly get a card from the OCG or from Rush Duel. The first wave of the collaboration will be May 16-June 5, 2023. The second will be June 6-26, 2023. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

During the first wave of the collaboration, there is the chance of getting these cards:

  • Dark Magician
  • E Hero Neos
  • Stardust Dragon
  • Sevens Road Magician
  • Multistrike Dragon Dragias
  • Prima Guitarna of the Colorful Light

The second wave will offer us:

  • Number 39: Utopia
  • Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
  • Firewall Dragon
  • Steam-Knight Hamburke (Coco's original)
  • Galactica Oblivion
  • Jointech Rex
  • Blue-Tooth Burst Dragon
  • Cocosh the Spellcaster of Happiness (Coco's original)

As for the food items, all of them look like a particular monster from the series. There is a hamburger that looks like the Hungry Hamburger Ritual Monster (1,190 JPY), as well as a parfait that shares Galactica Oblivion's color scheme (1,090 JPY). These two are available during the first portion of the collaboration. During the second one, you can order Sevens Road Magician Curry (1,190 JPY) and Blue Eyes White Dragon Parfait (1,090 JPY).

[gallery columns="4" ids="962305,962304,962303,962302" link="file"]

The Yu-Gi-Oh OCG collaboration for the 25th anniversary will take place at Coco's in Japan from May 16-June 5, 2023 and June 6-26, 2023.

The post Hungry Burger Comes to Life in Coco's Yu-Gi-Oh Collaboration appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 6:30 PM
    

diablo iv graphics card

A new bundle from Nvidia includes a selection of cosmetic bonuses for Blizzard games ahead of Diablo IV's launch on June 6, 2023. The bundle is available with purchases of select GeForce RTX 4070, 4070 Ti, 4080 and 4090 graphics cards from eligible retailers. Nvidia also announced that the upcoming Diablo IV Server Slam will add support for the Nvidia DLSS 3 software.

On top of the selected graphics card, purchases of the Diablo IV Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series Bundle will also receive

  • Amalgam of Rage mount for World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV code redeemable via Battle.net
  • Inarius Wings cosmetic and an Inarius Murloc pet for Diablo III
  • The Lightbearer mount and Caparison of Faith mount armor for Diablo IV
  • Umber Winged Darkness cosmetic set for Diablo Immortal

The Server Slam is an open beta and stress test beginning on May 12, 2023 and running until May 14, 2023. Players will be able to play through the prologue and first act of the game on PCs, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5. Blizzard said that couch co-op, crossplay and cross-progression will all be enabled for this beta. Progress from the beta tests will not carry over to the full release.

We can find Diablo IV Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series Bundle available from select retailers listed on the bundle website. Diablo IV will launch on June 6, 2023 for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post Diablo IV Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series Bundle Comes with Mounts, Cosmetics, and a Pet appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 6:00 PM
    

Lawson Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom collaboration speaker

If you're in Japan and you get a hankering for some good ol' post-apocalyptic Hyrulean grubs, then Lawson has your back. The convenience food chain will sell food items and merchandise of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for a limited time. All of the items will come in packaging with renders of Link on them, and the titles for them reference the games. Among the merchandise will be a Tri-force speaker.

As an aside, many of the food items will not be available at the Lawsons in Okinawa. The menu items that you'll be able to eat include Dry Curry Onigiri With Goron Spice Flavoring, Mighty Banana Au Lait, and a Big Hearty Truffle Focaccia. There is also a curry bread stuffed full of meat, as well as a clam chowder full of Hearty Salmon. Like any Lawson collaboration, the store's signature Karaage-kun fried chicken will also have a Tears of the Kingdom flavor. In this case, it's Spicy Pepper.

[gallery columns="6" ids="962274,962275,962277,962279,962280,962282" link="file"]

Depending on what and how many Tears of the Kingdom food items you purchase, you'll be eligible for special collaboration prizes. These are on a first-come-first-serve basis, and some stores might have less stock than other ones. You can get an A4 clear file (with six variations) or a multipurpose cloth (with 3 variations). As well, from May 9-29, 2023, if you have the Lawson app on your phone, you can enter your name in a lottery so long as you spend over 800 JPY. The prize is a speaker in the shape of the Tri-Force and it is exclusive to this Lawson lottery.

[gallery columns="2" ids="962287,962288" link="file"]

The Lawson collaboration with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available in stores around Japan. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will come out on the Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

The post Lawson Zelda Collaboration Includes Tri-Force Speaker appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:30 PM
    

Best Sampo Build in Honkai: Star Rail Light Cones Relic Set

Sampo is a weird character in Honkai: Star Rail, and not just because of his role in the story. He's a Nihility character, which makes you think he'd act as a supporter debuffing. But really, he's there to act as a damage dealer who can attack groups of characters. This means when coming up with a Sampo build that'd be best for you in Honkai: Star Rail, you'll want to prioritize a Relic set or Light Cones that boost his attack. His various attacks and Talent all look to that stat for damage.

What are the best Light Cones for a Sampo build in Honkai: Star Rail?

The bad news for Sampo is due to the way he works, the Light Cones that work best for a build for him in Honkai: Star Rail are a bit limited. For example, the only three-star you can really use with him is Void. That increases his Effect Hit Rate, which aids his Wind Shear capabilities.

As for a four-star, I'd say Fermata is your best bet. It's base description notes, "Increases Break Effect dealt by the wearer by 16%, and increases their DMG to enemies afflicted with Shock or Wind Shear by 16%. This also applies to DoT." But Eyes of the Prey is also really good. It increases the Effect Hit Rate and the amount of damage over time the foe will take from attacks.

[caption id="attachment_962310" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Best Sampo Build in Honkai: Star Rail Light Cones Relic Set Screenshot via Siliconera[/caption]

While Sampo's three-star compatibility is limited, he works great with two five-stars! Since the benefits are so complex, here's the list and their exact effects as taken from HoYoVerse in-game. Note that the details apply to not Superimposed versions of the two Light Cones.

  • In the Name of the World: Increases the wearer's DMG to debuffed enemies by 24%. When the wearer uses their Skill, the Effect Hit Rate for this attack increases by 18%, and ATK increases by 24%.
  • Patience is all You Need: The wearer deals 16% more DMG to enemies inflicted with DoT. For every attack, increases the wearer's SPD by 4%, up to 5 time(s). Meanwhile, enemies receiving attacks take 20% more DoT for 1 turn.

What are the best Relics for a Sampo build in Honkai: Star Rail?

While attack is most important for Sampo, you can go with one of two Relic sets for him in Honkai: Star Rail. One is basically the failsafe Musketeer of Wild Charge at the Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Drifting at the Corridor of Fading Echoes on Jarilo-VI. It increases Sampo's attack by 12% with two pieces and speed by 6% and attack damage by 10% with four.

However, given how important Wind damage is to him too, you could also choose Eagle of Twilight Line. That's found in the Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Gelid Wind in the Herta Space Station Storage Zone. Two pieces of it means he'll do 10% more Wind damage with attacks. Add all four, and he gains the effect "after the wearer uses their Ultimate, their action is Advanced Forward by 25%."

Honkai: Star Rail is available for PCs and mobile devices, and PS4 and PS5 versions are in development.

The post Prioritizing Sampo's Attack Helps in Honkai: Star Rail appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 5:00 PM
    

Berserk Guts Nendoroid

Good Smile Company revealed a new Nendoroid figure based on main character Guts from Berserk. The new Nendoroid figure includes several face plates and additional parts to customize Guts' pose. The figure costs 7,500 JPY/$53.99. It's expected release date is December 2023, and the figure is now available for pre-order from the Japanese Good Smile Company online store, and the North American one.

The new Guts figure depicts the character wearing his iconic Berserk armor. The figure comes with three different pace plates. These are a serious face, a combat fase, and a "Berserk" fase of Guts smiling. Additional parts include Guts' Dragon Slayer sword, and his cannon arm, alongside a required stand.

You can take a better look at the new Guts Nendoroid figure in the gallery below.

[gallery columns="5" link="file" ids="962276,962278,962281,962285,962286"]

The new Berserk figure was announced last year at WonHobby G 2022 Autumn, and it is the first Good Smile Company Nendoroid figure of Guts to be produced.

The Berserk Guts Nendoroid is now available for pre-order from the Japanese Good Smile Company online store, and the North American Good Smile Company online store. The figure costs 7,500 JPY/$53.99, and its expected release date is sometime on December 2023.

The post Berserk Guts Nendoroid Available Now for Pre-Order appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 4:00 PM
    

naruto live spectacle stage play

The official Naruto website shared some key information about the Live Spectacle Naruto: Shinobi's Path stage play. This is the final installment of the live-action series running in Japan. Not only is the full cast list on the Naruto official website, but you can check out the schedule and locations as well. More information on tickets will appear later on.

The performance schedule, as well as the venue, is as follows:

  • Kanagawa Prefecture (Kanagawa Arts Theater):
    October 8-11, 2023
  • Hyogo Prefecture (AiiA 2.5 Theater Kobe)
    October 18-22, 2023
  • Tokyo Prefecture (Tokyo Dome City Hall)
    October 28-November 5, 2023

Because the play will start in early October 2023, we will likely see tickets appear around mid-to-late May 2023 at the earliest. The Live Spectacle series of Naruto stage plays are a re-telling of the Naruto series, and it debuted in 2015. When it started, Kodai Matsuoka played Naruto but Masaki Nakao took over in 2021 with Uzumaki Naruto Monogatari.

Since the previous stage play focused on the Shinobi World War Arc, Shinobi's Path will likely focus on the Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki and Kaguya Otsutsuki Strikes Arcs. These are the last story arcs of the manga, which would tie into how Shinobi's Path is the last Naruto stageplay.

The Live Spectacle Naruto: Shinobi's Path stage play will debut in Japan on October 8, 2023. Tickets will be available closer to that date.

The post Final Live Spectacle Naruto Stage Play to Debut in October 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 3:30 PM
    

Plamax Asuka Shikinami Langley Model Arrives in Painted and Unpainted Options

Good Smile Company announced release windows for two Plamax Asuka Shikinami Langley model kits variants based on the character's Rebuild of Evangelion appearance. One is a kit with colored runners. The other is a sculptor's white version that is entirely white. The standard version is ¥7,700/$55.99. The sculptor's white option is ¥9,800 and only available in the Japanese branch's shop.

Both of the Plamax Asuka Shikinami Langley model kits are assembled in the same way. The difference is that one involves colored plastic runners, while the other is entirely white. Both kits create a 200mm/almost 8 inch tall figure when complete. Each one doesn't require glue, but it could be used. Good Smile Company recommended that and tools like nippers when assembling them.

Here's how the standard version of the model will look. That one also includes a bonus, unpainted runner for her torso if purchased via Good Smile Company.
[gallery columns="4" ids="962246,962247,962248,962249" link="file"]

And this is how the sculptor's white variant looks.
[gallery columns="4" size="full" ids="962255,962256,962257,962258" link="file"]

The Plamax Asuka Shikinami Langley model kits will appear in Japan in October 2023 and other countries in Q4 2023. Pre-orders are open until June 8, 2023.

The post Plamax Asuka Shikinami Langley Model Arrives in Multiple Styles appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 3:00 PM
    

Review: Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo

When it comes to the Otomate Switch otome games we've seen, they often tend to fall into certain genres and categories. Some titles, like Birushana, are period pieces that involve combat elements. Titles like Dairoku bring in supernatural affairs. Hakuoki is famous for blending the two. Now there's Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo, which follows in Hakuoki's footsteps by featuring supernatural warriors in a historical time period who also form a bond with a heroine who's considered "special."

Suzuno is an isolated young woman who can see "threads" around the necks of humans and formfolk. Formfolk being entities that are essentially born from a human's beloved object and live alongside people. Following her father's death, she's ostracized from her town due to warning people about black threads that are portents of doom. However, Shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa is in dire need of this gift, which marks her as the descendant of a powerful clan, and sends two members of his Oniwaban force to protect Edo from the blightfall creatures that appear when these black threads are strongest. As you may expect, given this is a Switch otome game, said members of the Oniwaban are also eligible bachelors who might end up getting close to her as they protect the city. However, in a twist, they're essentially a special kind of Formfolk known as Vessels. These special individuals make up the Oniwaban, due to their capabilities of properly dispatching the blightfall. However, their nature means if they gain a sense of self or emotions, they need to be executed due to the risks that poses.

[caption id="attachment_962196" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo Screenshot via Siliconera[/caption]

The lore is really quite fascinating in Winter's Wish: Spirits of Edo. It's interesting to see the lives of humans, Formfolk, and Vessels intertwine. Likewise, the nature of blightfall and the negative emotions that spawn them are handled rather well. Especially when we see the different cases and how they influence the villains and victims. There's some good world-building at work here, which helps the overall story.

In a way, Winter's Wish: Spirits of Edo routes can feel a bit similar. In each route, you're dealing with blightfall. You have a love interest who is a Vessel, and thus are meant to be amnesiacs with no emotions. There's a certain pattern that each story tends to follow in terms of interactions with the "monster of the week" and reveals. This isn't to say that the individual routes aren't interesting or that characters aren't compelling. Its just there's a procedure they tend to follow. The fact that after the common route introduction, you pick one of three "paths" that involves two members of the Oniwaban and eventually leads to a route with one person also means a bit of retreading.

[caption id="attachment_962197" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo Screenshots via Siliconera[/caption]

However, this does mean that some routes can stand out more than others. For example, I really enjoyed Genjuro, Yoichi, and Ohtaro's routes. There's a good balance of emotion, as well as insight into the lives of Vessels and backstories. Meanwhile, Kunitaka's struck me as being a bit bland. Also, while Tomonari's is great for lore and backstory, I expected more emotion and emotional connection than I ended up actually seeing. Again, this kind of happen when you're playing any otome game on the Switch. Routes designed to elaborate more on the lore can sometimes falter a bit when it comes to balancing more romantic moments. Others not as encumbered can offer more opportunities to appreciate the bond between characters.

But at the same time, the fact that there is this development of emotions with characters who are closed off, in a way, can help the narrative a bit. There are some routes where it feels like Suzuno can suddenly develop feelings way too abruptly. (Frankly, it can be a common problem in many otome games.) However, the fact that we are seeing the Vessels develop and get greater range as the story goes on and a relationship grows does serve the routes where the romantic elements are well-developed.

[caption id="attachment_962198" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Review: Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo Screenshot via Siliconera[/caption]

Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo is one of those Switch otome games that covers a lot of different topics well. Do you like period pieces? It's got that. Enjoy stories with supernatural elements? Each route features blightfall hazards to overcome. There for the romance? I really recommend going through Yoichi's route! Due to playing so many routes one after another, the sense of progression felt a bit similar to me, but I think someone playing it in a more measured way as intended would have a good time.

Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo will come to the Nintendo Switch on May 18, 2023.

The post Review: Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo Feels Made for Hakuoki Fans appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 2:30 PM
    

honkai star rail yukong

Ahead of official global social media accounts, HoYoVerse revealed on its bilibili channel who the next new characters will be in Honkai Star Rail. Silver Wolf and Luocha will be limited 5-stars and Yukong will be a 4-star, and they'll likely debut in Honkai Star Rail Version 1.1. Of the three, only Silver Wolf belongs to a faction other than Xianzhou Luofu. [Thanks, Inside Games!]

[gallery columns="2" ids="962241,962242" link="file"]

From the tutorial, we know that Silver Wolf is a Quantum/Nihility character in Honkai: Star Rail. She very closely resembles Bronya Zaychik from Honkai Impact 3rd, of which Star Rail is a spin-off of. Silver Wolf has a very hacker-like moveset, in which it looks like she can manipulate the space around her to create constructs from retro video games.

Luocha is a traveling merchant who carries around a giant coffin. He is an Imaginary character who is likely of the Abundance Path due to his healing capabilities. Akira Ishida (Athrun from Mobile Suit Gundam SeeD) voices him in the Japanese dub. We already meet him as an NPC in the game as part of the 1.0 Trailblazer Missions.

Yukong is Tingyun's superior, but little else in terms of information is available to us at the moment. As a 4-star, she will likely be available permanently even after the next banners. In Japanese, Yumi Toma (Raine from Tales of Symphonia) is her voice actress.

Honkai Star Rail is available on mobile devices and Windows PC. PS4 and PS5 versions will come out in the near future. Silver Wolf, Luocha, and Yukong will all show up soon in future updates of Honkai Star Rail.

The post Next New Honkai: Star Rail Characters Are Silver Wolf, Luocha, Yukong appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 2:00 PM
    

dragon ball goku day piccolo day

May 9, 2023 is a big day for Dragon Ball Z fans, as it will be both Goku Day and King Piccolo Commemoration Day. The official website for the series uploaded a summary of the upcoming celebrations in a fake news segment. There will be a poll for users to vote on their favorite Goku quote, as well as a "Piccolection" of Piccolo-related items.

Shueisha collected fifty-nine iconic Goku quotes for you to choose for readers to choose from. The video shows a reel of some panels rom the manga. The announcer's personal pick is Goku's "They died because of it," which he said during his battle against Frieza. The top quotes will become merchandise. We'll see more information on that when it will come up in July 2023. It's unclear if the quotes themselves will turn into an item, or if it's the context of the quote that will be.

In the Dragon Ball Z canon, May 9 is literally King Piccolo Commemoration Day. To celebrate, there will be a quiz that looks back on Piccolo's best hits. Fans will also be able to vote on what they thought were Piccolo's most amazing moments. Voters will be eligible for prizes such as a figure and special card. Toriyama will create original artwork of the scenes that fans pick. Speaking of Toriyama, a sneak peek at the draft for the new chapter six of Dragon Ball Super will be available for a limited time on May 12, 2023.

Goku Day and King Piccolo Commemoration Day takes place on May 9, 2023. A Dragon Ball Z video game, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4, is in development.

The post May 9 Is Goku Day and King Piccolo Commemoration Day appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:30 PM
    

Tears of the Kingdom Keeps Iconic The Legend of Zelda Sounds

Nintendo announced a three-part The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom interview series, and the second entry touched upon returning sounds. Producer Eiji Aonuma, Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Technical Director Takuhiro Dohta, Art Director Satoru Takizawa, and Sound Director Hajime Wakai all commented on design decisions for the sequel. Aonuma mentioned a desire to try and mitigate the feeling of "déjà vu" when people would play. However, he also noted, "Breaking boundaries doesn't mean you can just destroy whatever you like, though." Fujibayashi also joked that consistent and recurring elements were referred to as "the Great Mundanity" during development.

Sound Director Wakai specifically spoke about retaining classic The Legend of Zelda sounds in Tears of the Kingdom. His statement noted, "We intended to keep iconic sounds from the previous title, such as the sounds that play when you obtain an item or solve a puzzle." Art Director Takizawa also noted that part of that was to ensure "it feels like an adventure in the same world." In that same conversation that discussed sounds, Producer Aonuma said, "Breaking boundaries doesn't mean you can just destroy whatever you like, though. Those boundaries give you the basis to feel safe about taking risks elsewhere."

Art Director Takizawa also brought up how the idea of the Great Mundanity" came to be. He noted:

We often experienced strong déjà vu, particularly in the early stages, and we thought it was imperative to transform how the game felt as much as we could. We worked hard with that thought in mind, but once we got to a certain point in development, we were able to identify areas that would lose their appeal if we changed them.

By the end, the definition of this "Great Mundanity" became clear, so even if a team member approached us about a déjà vu feeling, we felt more comfortable asking them to intentionally keep something unchanged.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will come to the Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

The post Tears of the Kingdom Keeps Iconic The Legend of Zelda Sounds appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 1:00 PM
    

New Horizon Games Teased

A Horizon Forbidden West sequel seems to be on its way in the future, as confirmed by developer Guerrilla Games. The information was teased as part of a retrospective of Guerrilla's work celebrating their 20th anniversary on the PlayStation Blog. Studio Director Jan-Bart van Beek said that he looks forward to fans seeing where Aloy goes next in her story.

Guerilla also confirmed that the Horizon franchise has sold 32.7 million units combined. Horizon Forbidden West makes up 8.4 million units of this total. However, there is a higher number of players due to subscriptions such as PlayStation Plus.

Elsewhere in the post, Van Beek looks back at the history of the studio, starting out in 2003 on Shellshock: Nam '67. He then goes through the history of making the Killzone series for Sony and how it led to them becoming a first-party studio.

Naturally, a big chunk of the blog is dedicated to the development of Horizon Zero Dawn. Van Beek talks about the challenges of making the shift from a sci-fi FPS franchise to an open world action adventure. He also discusses the nervousness he and the other staff experienced showing off the reveal trailer for the first time.

Horizon Forbidden West is out now for PS5 and PS4. A major expansion, Burning Shores, released on April 19, 2023 for PS5 exclusively.

The post Guerrilla Teases Horizon Forbidden West Sequel, Reveals Franchise Sales Numbers appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:30 PM
    

Nintendo Went into Tears of the Kingdom Committed to a Sequel breath of the wild legend of zelda

A new "Ask the Developer" interview from Nintendo goes over The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom development process. It's part of a series of interviews about the upcoming game with people like Producer Eiji Aonuma, Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Technical Director Takuhiro Dohta, Art Director Satoru Takizawa, and Sound Director Hajime Wakai. This first part is dedicated to members of the team talking about how the goal during development was always to create a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel with Tears of the Kingdom.

Aonuma started out by saying ahead of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel development, the team wanted to see "if we could make it possible for players to continue exploring the world after they've reached the game's ending" with Tears of the Kingdom. He then noted that "we started to come up with new ideas that we wanted to bring to life in this already realized version of Hyrule, so our direction in making a sequel did not change." Fujibayashi followed that up by saying when they started to begin work, " in the initial proposal, we clearly stated 'the setting will not change' as an important concept."

Some of the additional concepts also came up. The team specifically mentioned the ability to go from the sky to the ground and back again. They also cited the ability to dive from above to below. Aonuma and Fujibayashi also noted this entry will still be welcoming to old and new players, with Fujibayashi specifically referencing the Character Profile option to find out who people are.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will come to the Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

The post Nintendo Went into Tears of the Kingdom Committed to a Sequel appeared first on Siliconera.