Mar 08, 12:00


GamersHeroes Friday, March 8, 2024 11:11 AM
    

For the first time, Electronic Arts has released nine different classic titles on Steam.

The post Electronic Arts Releases Nine Classic Titles on Steam appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Friday, March 8, 2024 11:00 AM
    

Overwatch 2, like most live service games, often implements big changes that don't necessarily stick around. In 2020, there was an Experimental mode that changed the original Overwatch's team composition to one tank, three damage heroes, and two supports that was quickly reverted. Hero tweaks have come and gone. But…

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Kotaku Friday, March 8, 2024 10:45 AM
    

Dragon's Dogma 2 is dropping on March 22 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, and in advance of that, Capcom has released the game's character creator so folks can already enjoy the age-old tradition of spending hours tinkering with their in-game appearance. As is customary with these tools, players are having…

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Kotaku Friday, March 8, 2024 10:00 AM
    

Unicorn Overlord, Vanillaware's take on the tactical/strategy genre, is here, and it is good. The game blends the best of real-time and turn-based strategy games to create a melting-pot of tactical combat. As a follow up to the studio's last game, the twisting narrative adventure of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Unicorn…

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Kotaku Friday, March 8, 2024 9:15 AM
    

What if the real "final fantasy" was the friends we made along the way? Final Fantasy VII has the most memorable and adored RPG cast of all time, with fans even falling in love with the optional characters that were a pain to recruit in the original 1997 game. If there's one thing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth gets right,…

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PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:50 AM
     Ahead of Dragon's Dogma 2, the original costs less than a coffee

If there's one game that has dominated my X (formerly Twitter) feed of late, it's Dragon's Dogma 2. As someone who is often slightly intimidated by the sheer size of sprawling open-world adventures, the hype has certainly infected me, and I'm halfway to pre-purchasing my own copy ahead of launch. But, when I noticed that the 2016 iteration of the original, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is currently going for the price of a coffee, I decided that might be a better place to start.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best open-world games, Best fantasy games, Best RPG games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:42 AM
     Dune Awakening dev won't sacrifice lore for the sake of game mechanics

Dune, as a concept, is huge. It's been around for decades, and is easily one of the most popular sci-fi series to exist, doing intergalactic conflict before Star Wars, and murderous musical chairs before Game of Thrones. It isn't especially prevalent in videogames, though, despite the interesting rules of engagement, and spicy political environment, but Dune Awakening aims to take everything, and nothing, from the series and build something great.


PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:36 AM
     Operatic 4X space strategy game gets big upgrade and a huge discount

Alongside the might of Firaxis Games' Civilization 6 and the vastness of Paradox Interactive's Stellaris and Crusader Kings 3, the 4X games of Amplitude Studios have always had a special place in my heart for their more unique, romantic approach to the world of strategy games. While its "strategic space opera" Endless Space 2 has long been beloved by many, however, some of its DLC was anything but. Now, though, both the base game and its Awakening add-on have been given hefty upgrades, and you can get it all at a big discount in this Steam sale.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Endless Space 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:37 AM
     Is Helldivers 2 down? Current server status and error codes

Are the Helldivers 2 servers down? If you're here searching for an answer, it could very well be obvious. Like any popular live service title, Helldivers 2 is prone to the odd blip from time to time. If you're struggling to log into the co-op horde shooter to smash big bugs and dangerous droids, you might want to know the Helldivers 2 server status, what the error codes mean, and how to fix them.

New to Helldivers 2? We've been there. We're learning as go, and there's always more to discover. To make your first group sessions run smoothly, check out how Helldivers 2 crossplay works. And if you're yet to jump in, you'll want to know whether or not you can get Helldivers 2 on Game Pass. For performance-related issues, read up on how the Helldivers 2 AMD and Nvidia FPS gap might affect you.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 servers, Helldivers 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:00 AM
     Anime fans need to see this glorious Naruto gaming PC build

It's safe to say that Naruto has become a pop culture icon in recent years, but this Naruto gaming PC takes things to a whole new level. The sheer creativity that has gone into this design deserves to be celebrated because no Naruto fan would be able to resist its charm and it is easily one of the best PC builds we've seen. This ambitious build, which took a considerable amount of time to put together, comes courtesy of George Antonopoulos.

Thanks to our rapidly growing PC building Facebook page, we've seen many custom gaming PCs, from mods based on existing case designs to scratch PC builds. You can even submit yours for consideration right here. Here we chat to George about how he built this anime PC build.

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

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 10:55 AM
     Helldivers 2 system requirements

What are the Helldivers 2 system requirements? The follow-up to indie hit Helldivers is past its initial rocky launch and Democracy is still in need of saving, if you can find a spot in its newly expanded online servers.

Will you need the best graphics card to get the game running? No, but Helldivers 2 shouldn't be underestimated by anyone when it comes to its hardware demands. While Helldivers 2 isn't quite optimized for the Steam Deck, its general PC performance, when you meet its requirements, is very impressive.

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

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 10:43 AM
     Fortnite server status and extended downtime

Are the Fortnite servers down? While the downtime between patches and season changes is usually predictable, there are occasions when something more serious has occurred, warranting prolonged maintenance.

Any downtime in Fortnite is annoying, particularly if you've only got a few hours in the day to play the battle royale game, but the servers can go down at any point. If that is the case right now, you can always check out the latest Fortnite map or Fortnite weapons to discover the new meta. With all that out of the way, here's the latest info on whether Fortntie is down.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map - key locations, Fortnite skins, All Fortnite Chapter 4 weapons

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 10:43 AM
     Life by You system requirements

What are the Life by You system requirements? The Sims has inspired many life simulation games, but Life by You is set to be more than just a cookie-cutter clone of EA's popular franchise.

Many of the best simulation games require fewer graphical resources and ask more of your processor instead, but fear not, you won't need the best gaming CPU to start playing. Creating exciting new virtual worlds in Life by You will be easy, but as an early access game, its system requirements are liable to change. Here's everything we know so far.

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

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 11:49 AM
     MSI just unlocked a 98% performance boost for some Intel CPUs

There's a new MSI motherboard BIOS available that lets users turn off current excursion protection (CEP) for non-K Intel CPUs. What does that mean? Well, it means that anyone that's using a non-K Intel CPU can now save power and reduce the heat of their system without performance taking a nosedive.

While this update doesn't currently affect any of the chips on our best gaming CPU guide, users of the likes of the Intel Core i5 14600 - the non-overclockable version of the Intel Core i5 14600K - have faced a problem if they found their system was running hotter or using more power than they would like.

With K-series chips, the user could just turn down the AC load line voltage on the chip and its power consumption and heat would correspondingly turn down, with performance only slightly being reduced, so long as CEP was disabled. However, for non-K chips, there has never been the ability to turn off CEP, and trying to just turn down the voltage with CEP enabled could see performance tank. It's this issue that the CEP update addresses.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon AC review, MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio review, Best gaming motherboard

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 10:09 AM
     Half-Life and Deus Ex combine for superb new FPS game you can play now

Between the instantly recognizable design of Black Mesa, the mysteries of G-Man, and all the debates about silent protagonist icon Gordon Freeman, you can neglect to notice just how fast and fluid the firefights are in Half-Life. Crouch jumping in the wake of Doom and id Software's original Quake, Valve's shooter feels - in the best way possible - like ice skating, as you sprint and weave between Xen creatures and HECU soldiers like an especially lethal dancer. Combine that with Deus Ex, the original, Ion Storm classic, where augmentations, government control, and conspiracy form the narrative spine for an immersive sim and FPS-RPG hybrid, and you've got some serious promise. Available to try right now, this is one of 2024's most unique new shooters.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best upcoming games, Best old games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 9:55 AM
     Nightingale CEO

Nightingale is one of the prettiest survival games I've seen, yet its launch via Steam Early Access has been met with a rather tepid response from players. Released just over two weeks ago on Tuesday February 20, the Nightingale player count has fallen to just over one fifth of its launch peak, while Steam reviews sit at a 'mixed' 61%. Inflexion Games CEO Aaryn Flynn says he is "not satisfied" with parts of the launch, saying, "there's much more to do."

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 8:33 AM
     Free Monopoly Go dice links March 2024

March 8, 2024: We've added a huge nine new free dice to our list of Monopoly Go dice links.

How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The classic board game has made its way to a free-to-play format, and you'll be doing laps of the board collecting houses and hotels and completing a variety of multiplayer minigames along the way.

You can't get far in Monopoly Go without dice rolls, which you'll have a limited amount of to begin with. To earn more dice rolls, you'll need to log in daily to collect bonuses, invite your friends to the game, or progress further. If you don't want to spend your hard-earned money on more dice, you can use dice links for the board game instead. Now, let's run down all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 8:25 AM
     Frostpunk 2 release date, trailers, and gameplay

When is the Frostpunk 2 release date? Moving from coal to oil as your primary power source, the objective remains the same: survive the harsh winter to see another day. However, the needs of the people can sometimes not be in the best interest of the colony as a whole, and one wrong decision means the end.

Management games always have some element of tension. However, rioting and the eventual collapse of an entire settlement because the heating's gone out is one of the more unsettling ways to lose. We've been waiting a long time since Frostpunk 2 was announced in 2021, but we now have full confirmation of the Frostpunk 2 release date, as well as the latest gameplay details revealed in trailers ahead of launch.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city-building games, Best survival games, Upcoming PC games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 7:32 AM
     Step aside graphics cards, you can now run ray tracing on a CPU

Ray tracing may well be more commonplace in games these days but it's still seen as a hugely difficult graphics feature to process, requiring powerful graphics cards with dedicated ray tracing processors. However, one developer has shown that maybe there's another way by enabling ray tracing on a CPU.

The developer, named Konstantin Seurer, has been steadily working on adding features to a purely CPU-run Vulkan-based version of the open source Mesa graphics library. By enabling the function Implement VK_KHR_ray_query, the modder has opened up the possibility of running ray tracing functions on CPUs, demonstrating the ability using a certified classic, Quake 2.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best old games, Best multiplayer games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 7:26 AM
     Helldivers 2 dev plans enemy spawn changes to avoid

Helldivers 2 is a whirlwind of beautiful chaos, and that's part of what makes it so special, and one of the very best PC games in this already busy year. The co-op third-person shooter continues to win over hearts and minds in its explosive fight to spread liberty, and as a longtime advocate of the original game I was impressed how well the sequel captures the fun of failing. Yet sometimes, when it all kicks off, it can feel a little too busy, especially when a lot of heavy, armored enemies roll in together, and developer Arrowhead Game Studios admits that these swarms can feel a bit too much of a pain to handle.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Helldivers 2 weapons, Helldivers 2 servers, Helldivers 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 7:15 AM
     WWE 2K24 issue deletes people's saves when they try to re-install DLC

As reported by a large number of players on Steam, and tested by PCGamesN, a new WWE 2K24 issue can result in your entire savegame being deleted when you attempt to reinstall pre-order DLC. Based on a variety of posts, complaints, and user reviews, in some instances, if you pre-purchased WWE 2K24 and received the Deluxe Edition Pack and Nightmare Family Pack, when you start the game, you will be greeted with an error message explaining that this DLC is not accessible, and asking if you would like to re-download the DLC. The message says that if you do not re-install the DLC, "the data will need to be rewritten in order to continue." The message also says however that if you select "yes" then all your save data will be deleted.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: WWE 2K24 review, WWE 2K24 locker codes, WWE 2K24 unlockables

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:55 AM
     The best games on Xbox Game Pass March 2024

What are the best games on Game Pass? Trawling through the hundreds of games in your Game Pass subscription can feel overwhelming. Game Pass is a great deal, with hundreds of games at your fingertips for a fairly low monthly cost, but, if you're anything like us, you might get lost in the choice and wind up not playing anything. Thankfully, we're here to help you discover some of the shiniest Game Pass gems.

Luckily, you can search by genre on the official Xbox Game Pass site, so you can always narrow your choices down. If you're unsure and want to try something new, we've picked some of the best Game Pass games the subscription service has to offer. Whether you're looking for horror games, farming games, or short, easy-to-complete story games, we've got them all listed.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:42 AM
     All Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans

What are the Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 clans? Darkness has returned to Seattle. There are rumblings of war, the political structure is in shambles, and an old, powerful elder - you - has just awakened, bound by mysterious, bizarre magic. This is Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.

It's been a long 20 years, so you may be a little rusty on all things World of Darkness. As the curtain slowly but surely ascends on Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 and our shadowy protagonists slither into the light, here are all the clans you'll be able to choose from in the sequel to one of the best vampire games ever made.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Bloodlines 2 gameplay, Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 release date, Pre-order Bloodlines 2

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 7:44 AM
     Is Frostpunk 2 on Game Pass?

Is Frostpunk 2 on Game Pass? The long-awaited sequel to 11 Bit Studios' superb survival sim had more information revealed during March 2024's Xbox Partner Showcase. A new trailer shows how you will manage a frozen colony as the storm intensifies and tensions grow within the starving citadel. If it's anything like the first installment, one wrong step could seal the fate of your people.

Frostpunk 2 is the successor to one of the greatest strategy games in recent years. Compared to contemporaries like Civilization 6, Age of Empires, and Crusader Kings, in the original Frostpunk your power and consequences lie in the smallest decisions. Since the Frostpunk 2 release date is not inching ever closer, here's everything you need to know about whether Frostpunk 2 is on Game Pass.

Continue reading Is Frostpunk 2 on Game Pass?
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city-building games, Best survival games, Upcoming PC games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:26 AM
     What is the Binding of Isaac multiplayer password?

What is the Binding of Isaac multiplayer password? Every time you want to jump into the new beta feature of The Binding of Isaac which adds multiplayer, you'll need to locate the opt-in password to gain access to the new features. Anyone who owns Repentance on Windows or Steam can join after following a few short steps.

The Binding of Isaac developer recommends backing up your saves, in case any bugs in the beta cause a loss of progress. While a full release for the new features is yet to be announced, the multiplayer functions will be available for two weeks out of each month. For each two-week period, a new opt-in password will be required, and we'll regularly update our guide to let you know what that is.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, What is the Binding of Issac multiplayer password?, The best PC games 2023

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:23 AM
     Try Nvidia GeForce Now with a day pass, even on Apple Macs

It's been a long time coming, but GeForce Now Day Passes have finally launched, with two types available mimicking the Priority and Ultimate subscriptions for 24 hours. In addition to the passes, Cloud G-Sync has also launched, and is compatible with Windows PCs as well as Apple Silicon, bringing a much more feasible gaming experience to Mac products.

Nvidia GeForce now eliminates the need to pack the best graphics card in your gaming PC by allowing you to stream your games through powerful cloud gaming servers. The service requires a subscription to access the best features but can be used for free with certain restrictions in place.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:18 AM
     The best Satisfactory mods 2024

What are the best Satisfactory mods? Whether it's ones to help you space out the area around you for builds or new stuff to make multiplayer more fun, the Satisfactory modding community has been hard at work. Over this time, loads of mods have been created to add new blueprints, change the player model, and so much more.

And after nearly five years since its debut, Satisfactory will finally leave early access. It's already one of the best indie games around, with tons of updates already giving would-be builders plenty to work with. However, things can always be improved upon, so here are the best Satisfactory mods and where to find them.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best building games, Best indie games, Best open-world games

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:12 AM
     Dragon's Dogma 2 Sphinx riddles and boss fight

How do you solve the Dragon's Dogma 2 Sphinx riddles? You can expect to encounter plenty of strange and wonderful beasts in the classic RPG's long-awaited sequel, but few are as captivating as the enigmatic Sphinx. This optional boss can be found in a hidden temple tucked away in a corner of the map, and there's more to this encounter than a straightforward boss battle.

Like its name suggests, the Dragon's Dogma 2 Sphinx challenges the Arisen to solve a series of riddles, which must be solved to avoid a deadly fight in the RPG game. Game director Hideaki Itsuno and lead game designer Kento Kinoshita lifted the lid on the Sphinx in an IGN First interview. Here's what you can expect from your encounter with this mythical creature in Dragon's Dogma 2, as well as a few early hints on how to beat it.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 release date, Dragon's Dogma 2 vocations, Dragon's Dogma 2 system requirements

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:14 AM
     The best Cities Skylines 2 mods

What are the best Cities Skylines 2 mods? With bigger maps, signature buildings, and even new weather cycles, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Cities Skylines 2 has everything you could possibly need. However, with the immense mod support that the first city builder received, it would be a shame if this entry missed out on the community creativity that made Cities Skylines so engaging for so long.

While we've explored every aspect of the game in our Cities Skylines 2 review, fans of the series are dreaming up their ideal mods - it could be recreating real-life locations, adding fantastical elements to their own settlements, and everything in between. We already know about the Cities Skylines 2 map size being larger than it was before, but will we be able to add Cities Skylines 2 mods to further expand our horizons?

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines 2 review, Cities Skylines 2 roads, Cities Skylines 2 maps

PCGamesN Friday, March 8, 2024 6:16 AM
     Reverse 1999 codes March 2024

March 8, 2024: We've added four new Reverse 1999 codes and removed three expired.

What are the new Reverse 1999 codes? If you're just making a start in Bluepoch's strategic RPG, you're probably burning through essential resources at a worrying rate. It can be tough going in the early game while you're still finding your feet, so we've compiled all the active Reverse 1999 codes you could need for free clear drops, dust, and much more.

Reverse 1999 is another anime gacha game available on mobile and PC, joining the likes of Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail in the competitive genre. If you're torn between playing them all, we've got Genshin Impact codes and Honkai Star Rail codes as well, but this guide has all the latest Reverse 1999 codes for your alt-history 20th-century Timekeeper needs. Codes aren't enough to get you through those tricky battles though, so be sure to check out our Reverse 1999 tier list featuring the best characters.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Reverse 1999 codes, Reverse 1999 tier list, Best anime games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 12:00 PM
    

I'm beginning to think we should bury Vampire: The Masquerade back in the forsaken graveyard where it was originally dug up, or at least banish the toothy reprobate back to its pen & paper castle. I don't know how White Wolf's RPG is viewed in the land of table tops these days, but here in computerville it has delivered exactly one good video game in the last 25 years (and don't come gibbering to me about 2022's Swansong, it wasn't fit to polish Bloodlines' fangs). Sure, Bloodlines 2 might prove a winner, but given years of delays and a developer change, I'll believe it when I see it.

Which brings us to Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice, the beleaguered series' first prowl through the rain-slick streets of VR. In theory, this should be exactly my cup of haemoglobin; a gothic, linear stealth game where you use your vampire powers to sneak across the rooftops of Venice. In its mechanics and design, Justice aspires to be a cut down version of Dishonored. Unfortunately, it's in the cutting down where most of its problems arise. It's too cramped, too basic, and too fuzzy around the edges, and the whole experience ends up being a bit mid.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 11:54 AM
    

Welcome to Should You Bother With, a new, hopefully somewhat regular RPS column where I'll investigate the quirkier niches that PC gaming hardware has to offer. Through trial and testing, together we'll find out which of these products and features are technological red herrings – and which are the genuine innovations that deserve your attention.

First up on the lab table: AMD Fluid Motion Frames!

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 11:44 AM
    

High was the sun and gladsome the breeze when Dragonkin Skywalker, Donald Duck and the Lady Galadriel arrived in the city of Vernworth, there to make new friends and disturb the peace. Oh sorry, let me back up a bit: this is the second chapter of my Dragon's Dogma 2 hands-on diary, in which I experiment with fielding a party consisting exclusively of spell-casters.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 11:27 AM
    

Polish developers Mighty Koi have announced The Night Wanderer, a new sci-fantasy Soulslike RPG with metroidvania level design – yes, yes, tick those genre boxes! - in which you are a grim bearded swordsman exploring an alien world that looks a bit like pre-industrial Scandinavia.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 11:03 AM
    

The second part of Dune is out at the moment, and it has resulted in that most filthy of perversions, discourse - a pastime in which only the most unsavoury characters indulge. Is Dune appropriative? Is the appropriation the point? Whatever the case, Funcom want you to know that their upcoming survival game Dune: Awakening has nothing to do with any of that, posting a short Xeet from the official Awakening account that's the written equivalent of sticking your arms straight out, waving your hands, and going "Woahwoahwoah, hang on a minute."

"We agree that religion is an integral part of the Dune universe. This is why in Dune: Awakening you will meet and interact with people of different religions along your journey. However, as opposed to the story presented in the books, the player is not a messiah and will not play a major role in any of them. Leading people on a holy war is not why you arrive on Arrakis," reads the post in full. Personally, I approve of this effort to keep games apolitical. Politics? In my Dune. No thank you. I am of course being facetious. There is still religion and politics in Dune: Awakening, as confirmed by the statement, but you yourself aren't doing much of it.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 7:30 AM
    

Well before anointing Warhammer 40,000: Darktide as this month's RPS Game Club game, I've wanted to talk about its rock. The rock. The best rock. Best Darktide rocks 2024, number one: the rock.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 7:29 AM
    

If you wanted to buy any of the games in the Command & Conquer Ultimate Collection, Dungeon Keeper, or Sim City 3000 - but didn't want to do it on GOG where they were already on sale - then rejoice! EA has made these classics and more, and for some reason The Saboteur, available on Steam for the first time. You can see the full list of games here. I don't have anything specific against The Saboteur, but I do think it's very funny that the list goes, like, "beloved game from the 90s, beloved game from the 90s, 7/10 action game from 2009, beloved game from the 90s". Also, I can take the opportunity to make fun of Graham and James, the tallest wrongest boys at RPS, who apparently both liked it.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 6:51 AM
    

Dragon's Dogma series director Hideaki Itsuno has announced that the meat you can cook over campfires in Dragon's Dogma 2 is, in fact, "real meat". There's been a certain amount of PlayStation-instigated speculation about whether the meat is CGI-generated, following the last round of Dragon's Dogma 2 previews. Speaking to Japanese site 4Gamer, as translated by Automaton, Itsuno revealed that the game's scenes of sizzling flesh are derived from live action film of steaks being grilled - partly for the sake of authenticity, and partly to save money versus creating computer models of meat products. You can cook several types of meat in Dragon's Dogma, each of which has its own cutscene, and a number of Dragon's Dogmatists are already performatively salivating at the prospect on social media.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 6:32 AM
    

Ahead of launching Dragon's Dogma 2 later this month, Capcom have released its character creator for free as a separate standalone doodad. You can create your character and your main Pawn (NPC sidekick) and save them to use in the full game. Or, if you're like me and cannot resist playing for hours in a character creator, you can enjoy fiddling with its many sliders and marvelling at the breadth of options like 334 different colours for its four eye colour settings and the ability to remove individual teeth. I made my kitten as my pal, because I guess that's what I do now.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 6:12 AM
    

Developers Arrowhead said that Helldivers 2's mechs were "ready for deployment" a couple of days ago, but what they didn't tell us was how to unlock them. And in what I think is a rather refreshing live service twist, it's up to us honourable Helldivers to liberate the planet of Tien Kwan if we want those sweet, sweet mechs. Get me in there, chief.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 8, 2024 5:55 AM
    

Tactical Breach Wizards is having a beta playtest, with space for around 2500 players over the next month or so. New to Tactical Breach Wizards? It's a grid and turn-based room-clearance puzzler in which you control a gang of door-kickers who happen to be armed with spells and magical artefacts, rather than plain old riot shields. It's the work of Suspicious Developments, the studio founded by former videogames journalist and - *engage mystic rite of disclaiming* - RPS contributor Tom Francis, and lets you do things like chain lightning bolts around cover and knock people into mystic portals or out of windows (a Suspicious Developments staple).

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Twinfinite Friday, March 8, 2024 10:10 AM
    
How much longer must we wait?!

Twinfinite Friday, March 8, 2024 10:02 AM
    
Will they take down the giant that is The Sims 4?

Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 12:00 PM
    

sushi sanrio gacha toys

Takara Tomy will release new gacha toys that makes various Sanrio mascots look like sushi. They'll appear in gacha machines from mid-March 2024, and it'll cost 300 JPY ($2) per try. [Thanks, Hobby Watch!]

In total, there are five different variations you can get. You can either get Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, or Keroppi. All of the Sanrio mascots except for Keroppi are in the nigiri style, with the neta (topping) on their back like a backpack. Keroppi is in a gunkan style. Hello Kitty has what looks like tuna on her back, My Melody has shrimp, Cinnamoroll has tamago, and Pochacco has salmon. Meanwhile, Keroppi just has seaweed around him. Part of the charm, according to Takara Tomy, is how surreal these toys look, between the sushi aesthetic and the blank expressions on the toys' faces.

Other Sanrio merchandise coming out in the near future includes collaboration goods with Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Demon School Iruma-kun, and Oshi no Ko. You'll also be able to get Sanrio shirts from Uniqlo in May 2024. For these goods, you'll be able to buy them directly rather than have to pull for them from a gacha.

The Sanrio sushi gacha toys will appear in Japan from mid-March 2024.

The post Sanrio Gacha Toys Make Characters Look Like Sushi appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 11:30 AM
    

penny blood hellhound early access

The Early Access build of Penny Blood: Hellhound is now available on Steam. This version of the game will have several new features, as well as improvements based off feedback from the closed beta.

You can watch the Early Access trailer for Penny Blood: Hellhound here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e_Hp0V-zuY

You'll be able to play as the Axeman for the first time, which means that there will be five playable characters now. The Daidouji Temple area will also become accessible, which means a new boss, as well as new enemies, to fight. There will also be several new NPCs, with two of them being specific to the dungeon. Once you befriend them, they will fight alongside you in the dungeon. The Early Access build also has the Accessory System, as well as the Gambling System (Psycho Hanafuda). This system has the potential of netting you a lot of currency, but of course, there's always the chance of losing it all.

Penny Blood: Hellhound is the roguelike hack 'n' slash spin-off of Penny Blood, which is still in development. It serves as a prequel, and gives players a sneak peek at some of the enemies they'll be fighting against in Penny Blood proper. Previously, Hellhound was only available as a closed beta, and you can read our review of it here.

Penny Blood: Hellhound is readily available on Windows PC via Steam and it's Early Access.

The post Penny Blood: Hellhound is Now in Early Access appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 11:00 AM
    

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration will have a new opening animation

Bliss Brain announced a second delay for Princess Maker 2 Regeneration. People who want to get the new enhanced game will now have to wait until July 11, 2024, for it to be released. The studio cited a need to further improve the game's quality as the reason for delaying the game's release.

To compensate for the second delay announcement, Bliss Brain published a new trailer that showcases the game's opening animation. A team from Yonago Gainax led by Takami Akai is working on the new animation movie. It will include many scenes taken from the gameplay, ranging from house activities to public competitions.

The new trailer is available to watch via YouTube:

https://youtu.be/sXWmqy1kooo

Bliss Brain first revealed Regeneration in August 2023. The new enhanced game will be based on Princess Maker 2 Refine, which originally appeared for PCs in 2004 and added to Steam in 2016. While Regeneration will also appear on Steam, it will make Princess Maker 2 available on the Switch, PS4, and PS5 for the first time. Takami Arai will re-draw the character illustrations to match closer to the original PC-98 release.

The studio originally planned to release Regeneration on December 21, 2023, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original PC-98 release in 1993. However, in mid-November 2023, it announced a delay to May 30, 2024, as it needed more time to improve the game's quality.

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration will be available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on July 11, 2024.

The post Princess Maker 2 Regeneration Delayed Again to July 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 10:30 AM
    

2024 Final Fantasy XIV 14-Hour Broadcast Appears in April

One of Square Enix's traditions is a Final Fantasy XIV 14 Hour Broadcast, and the next one will appear on April 12, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET. The initial teaser image featured Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida and Global Community Producer Toshio "Foxclon" Murouchi. 

This is the tenth 14 Hour Broadcast, and we knew it was on the way. Back when Square Enix revealed the 10th anniversary site for Final Fantasy XIV, it included a reference to it. At the time, it only noted it was "scheduled for Spring 2024." 

The full schedule hasn't been released yet. However, we do have an idea of what to expect from it. Past events always tended to include a Letter from the Producer Live. These go over additions in major patches and expansions. For reference, the 2022 14-Hour Broadcast included Letter from the Producer Live LXXIII, while the 2021 one involved LXV. Different types of chats, Q&As, and special segments with "guests" tend to appear.

Final Fantasy XIV is available on the PS4, PS5, and PC, with the Xbox Series X version launching on March 21, 2024. Dawntrail will arrive in Summer 2024, with more news on that coming at PAX East 2024. The next Final Fantasy XIV 14 Hour Broadcast appears on April 12, 2024.

The post 2024 Final Fantasy XIV 14 Hour Broadcast Appears in April appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 10:00 AM
    

final fantasy vii rebirth the first take movie

Square Enix and The First Take released a special video to commemorate Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. This video combines footage from Tomoya Nakamura's first time playing the game, as well as Loren Allred's performance of "No Promises to Keep" on The First Take's channel.

The video is a little over six minutes long. It starts with Nakamura sitting down to prepare to play the game. Meanwhile, Nobuo Uematsu and Allred settle down to prepare their performance. For reference, Uematsu is a long-time composer for Final Fantasy games. While he didn't help compose the soundtrack for the game, he wrote the main theme of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Loren Allred is the performer of the main theme, "No Promises to Keep," and performed it at The Game Awards 2023 as well. She is known for "Never Enough" from The Greatest Showman. Finally, Tomoya Nakamura is a Japanese actor. Some of his credits include Princess Jellyfish, March Comes in Like a Lion, and Spy x Family Code: White.

You can watch the special Final Fantasy VII Rebirth video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xoQGdYDVc0

As of the time of writing, the video has accumulated close to 27,500 views, and it's been about six hours since Square Enix uploaded it.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the direct sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake. Like Remake, it is not an actual direct remake of the original Final Fantasy VII, and features new mechanics and an updated story. One of the changes includes the inclusion of Synergy Attacks, which you can see in the video as well.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is readily available on the PS5. The console exclusivity arrangement will end on May 29, 2024.

The post FFVII Rebirth Video Combines The First Take and Gameplay appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 9:30 AM
    

Hunter X Hunter Nen X Impact - PS5 Switch PC Steam fighting game getting demo version at EVO Japan 2024

Bushiroad has revealed the platforms for Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact. The new Hunter X Hunter fighting game will be available on the PS5, Switch, and PC via Steam.

The company also announced that a playable demo build of the game will be available at EVO Japan 2024. The 2D fighting game tournament will take place at Ariake GYM-EX in Tokyo on April 27-29, 2024. Bushiroad's webpage for the demo build has a "coming soon" tab, indicating that it will set up a booth at another event after EVO Japan 2024.

Bushiroad first revealed the Nen x Impact subtitle and the teaser trailer in January 2024. It hinted that the game would have 3v3 battles with Gon, Leorio, and Netero teaming up against Killua, Kurapika, and Hisoka. The Hunter x Hunter fighting game was not known to come to the PS5, Switch, and PC at that time. The game was teased as early as mid-December 2023, when Bushiroad announced that Eighting is working on its development.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact will be available for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Bushiroad has yet to announce the fighting game's release window, but it will set up its playable demo booth at EVO Japan 2024 on April 27-29, 2024.

The post Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Coming to PS5, Switch, and PC appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, March 8, 2024 9:00 AM
    

dragon ball china statement toriyama akira

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has put out a statement in regards to the death of Akira Toriyama, who was best known for his work on Dragon Ball. Netizens uploaded a clip of the statement onto TikTok and Twitter. [Thanks, Wanli2051!]

Here is a translation of the minister's statement:

"We express our deepest sympathies in regards to Akira Toriyama-sensei's passing, and we would like to give our sincere condolences to his family. Toriyama-sensei was a very famous manga artist, and his work has been very popular in China too. I've noticed many Chinese netizens express their grief for his passing as well. We believe, and trust, that there will be more talented artists and writers from Japan whose work will leave a cultural impact on China, leading to further friendship between our countries."

Dragon Ball is an incredibly influential work, and it originally drew inspiration from the Chinese novel Journey to the West, as well as Hong Kong martial arts films. Son Goku's name is the Japanese reading of Sun Wukong, a mischievous and proud monkey who is one of the protagonists of the Journey to the West.

Akira Toriyama died on March 1, 2024, but news of his passing first appeared on March 7, 2024. Aside from Dragon Ball, he also worked on Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest. After his death, his name and "Rest in Peace" trended on Twitter (X), showing the effect he had on people worldwide.

Akira Toriyama died on March 1, 2024, and there will be a commemorative gathering for him some time int he future.

The post China Expressed Sympathies for Akira Toriyama appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, March 8, 2024 11:41 AM
     Fort CondorFort Condor can be a tough game to both understand and beat. If you're not so sure how to beat all stages of Fort Condor in FF7 Rebirth, we've got you covered. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: How to beat Fort Condor stages In the Junon Region, you can begin to play the fun minigame Fort Condor through Phenomenon Intel 1: The World Of Fort Condor, which will slowly unlock the rest of the Fort Condor stages as you progress. Each stage will get progressively tougher, but if you want to nab that Protorelic, learn how to beat all stages of Fort Condor in FF7 Rebirth. Screenshot: PC Invasion Fort Condor Stage 1 formation and solutions Since this is the easiest of the stages, it shouldn't be too difficult for any of the unit formations to take down the enemy. But if you're still struggling, here's how I ran my first game. Hero UnitsCloud, BarretAlly UnitsOffense Focused Place two Enforcers on the right side. Place an Elite Vanguard on the left l...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, March 8, 2024 11:32 AM
     Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 RoadmapFortnite Chapter 5 Season 2, called Myths & Mortals, is filled with new bosses, Mythics, and collaborations. There is a lot we know about what is coming this season thanks to leaks and datamining, so here's what you can expect. All Mythics coming in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 Image: Epic Games Chain of Hades Fire Hammer of Hephaestus Waterbending Wookie Bowcaster Thanks to Shiina and HYPHEX on Twitter (or X), we have a good idea as to what Mythics, bosses, and collabs to expect in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2. We know we are getting a Chain of Hades Mythic which reminds me of Kratos' Blades of Chaos, a Fire Hammer of Hephaestus Mythic, a Waterbending Mythic, and a Wookie Bowcaster Mythic. All of these Mythics will be added to the game later, but you can still enjoy the Mythics currently in the game. We could also get more Mythics throughout the season that aren't included in this list, so keep your eyes peeled. All bosses coming in For...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, March 8, 2024 11:19 AM
     Crusader Kings 3 PlaguesAre you coughing? Well, you might as well be dead already. Here is how to cure and stop Bloody Flux, Measles, and Holy Fire plagues in Crusader Kings 3. Crusader King 3: How to cure and stop Bloody Flux, Measles, and Holy Fire With the new update for Crusader Kings 3 we have now three new illnesses that can become deadly plagues for your realm. These are Measles – especially deadly to children -, Bloody Flux – also known as Dysentery -, and Holy Fire – which is Ergotism, a poisoning effect after consuming ergot, a fungi. Now we have all types of medicine and scientific advances to prevent and treat these, but during Medieval times? No luck there, buddy. Don't get discouraged though, there are still some things we can do to cure and even stop these plagues from spreading and obliterating your realm. Use your Physician Image: Paradox Development Studio Having a specialized go-to man to help control the mitigation of plagues will benefit your realm b...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, March 8, 2024 11:11 AM
     Best Sports Games On Ps5 And Ps4 In 2024 Featured ImageSports games have always been great for gamers. You don't have to be super knowledgeable to get into them. I've never gotten into half of the games on this list. But playing them has made me understand why they are important. The PlayStation like other consoles has quickly become home to some great sports games. To find out what the best sports games are on the PS4 and PS5 in 2024, you should read this list. Top 10 best sports games you can play on the PS5 and PS4 in 2024 Many of the games on this list are accessible, and while some stand out better than others, you'll still have an easy time diving into them. The following games are ones that I've played and have enjoyed even though I'm not a huge fan of the sport itself. Note that this list is not ranked, it should treated as a guide to get you into a new game. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2 Screenshot: Vicarious Visions I could never skateboard as a kid growing up, so the next best option was playing the To...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, March 8, 2024 11:10 AM
     Unicorn Overlord Featured ImageUnicorn Overlord is already looking to be a hit game for Vanillaware, as a lot of attention has been given to it. Such console-exclusive games will always come packed with the question, "is it on Gamepass?" Gamepass is a fantastic way to check out games you're unsure of, as well as play games you are sure of for merely the subscription price. Can Gamepass satiate your curiosities of Unicorn Overlord? Can you play Unicorn Overlord on Gamepass? Unfortunately, Unicorn Overlord is not on Gamepass, so if you're on Xbox and want to play it, you'll have to buy it like everyone else. Not every game will make it to Gamepass, although new ones are being added every so often. I wouldn't be too surprised if it eventually makes it over to Gamepass, although I don't think it to be any time soon. It's no wonder that those who have bought into Gamepass will want Unicorn Overlord to be on it – it's an awesome game (although one wi...

WGB Friday, March 8, 2024 11:56 AM
     Those knowledgeable boffins over at Gameindustry.biz have dropped some fascinating new insights based on GSD data which collects the majority of digital sales and all physical game sales in the UK.

Pivotal Gamers Friday, March 8, 2024 6:47 AM
     Hello fellow gamers. We have another great offer from gamehag for selected games. This is what they say. To get: 2000 KD, 1500 KD, 1000 KD, 850 KD, 700 KD, 500 KD, 250 KD, 200 KD, 100 KD, 50 KD, 25 KD, 10 KD To get this key your Steam level must be at least 2. Last minute notes Login with your gamehag account, complete all steps to get your key. So hustle. Just click on the button below and follow...

MonsterVine Friday, March 8, 2024 9:00 AM
     It's been a little over 20 years since the original Star Wars: Dark Forces release, and as a big fan of the franchise, it is a game I've always wanted to play. But due to being a console player, I've never had the opportunity to experience what so many had described to me as "one […]