GamersHeroes Saturday, April 20, 2024 12:48 PM The PlayStation 5 DualSense controller is, in my opinion, the worst first-party controller released since PlayStation's conception. The post It's Time We Admit The PS5 DualSense Controller Is Utter Garbage appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Saturday, April 20, 2024 10:00 AM  We got our first good look at the highly anticipated Hades 2 this week, and we have a lot to say about Supergiant Games' first-ever direct sequel. But there's also some Starfield news to get into and unpack, and some fan-casting to do. Read on for our spiciest opinions of the week. |
Kotaku Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:00 AM  Fallout fans ate good this week, thanks to a kickass Amazon TV series and tons of people getting back into the games because of it. But a good video game adaptation isn't all that went down this week, so read on for the biggest news. |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 12:44 PM  As the wait for Hollow Knight Silksong continues unabated, there's no shortage of excellent 2D action platform games to keep us busy on Steam. Following on from last year's excellent Blasphemous 2 and the more recent Ultros, we've just this month seen the arrivals of more delightful indie games such as Saviorless and BioGun. The next mark on my Metroidvania calendar, however, is Akatori, a beautiful pixel art adventure with a very satisfying staff mechanic that's already hooked me following the launch of its prequel chapter, out now as a free Steam demo. Continue reading Gorgeous new metroidvania launches first act prologue, free on Steam MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best platform games, Best metroidvania games, Best indie games |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 12:28 PM  As someone new to MMOs and MMORPGs after getting into Final Fantasy 14 a decade late, I'm constantly floored by how long the successful ones have been running. World of Warcraft is coming up on two decades of expansions and updates, even rolling back to its own Classic version due to demand, and Star Wars: The Old Republic has been around since 2011. Fantasy classic The Lord of the Rings Online is still kicking too, and it's celebrating its 17th birthday with an annual event, even as a brand new LOTR MMO looms from Amazon. Continue reading Free MMORPG celebrates 17th anniversary with massive annual event MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Free MMOs, Lord of the Rings Online free-to-play, Best fantasy games |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 11:43 AM  With the V Rising 1.0 update just weeks away after two full years in early access, the vampire survival game is set to introduce the most iconic blood-sucking tyrant of them all into the fold. In its latest pre-launch teaser, developer Stunlock Studios showcases the Ruins of Mortium, home to the one and only Count Dracula, and gives us a little taste of just what power his corrupted blood can offer us. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: V Rising system requirements, V Rising tips, The best V Rising base locations |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 10:52 AM  What makes a great party game? It needs to be easy to pick up and understand, have a competitive edge and a skill ceiling that's not too high, and have games that don't last too long. Mix all that together and you've got a game you can play for minutes or hours, and anyone can get involved. In my experience, Golf With Your Friends fits this criteria perfectly, and everyone can play it for free for a limited time, with a massive update and Steam sale once you're done. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best multiplayer games, Best sports games |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:56 AM  New expansion Besiege: The Splintered Sea is set to dramatically shake up one of the most iconic and beloved sandbox games on PC with the introduction of one of the most universal substances on Earth - water. The medieval-inspired building game and physics sandbox heads into the ocean in its imminent update, providing all manner of new ways to experiment. But if you, like I was, are worried about what might happen to its delicious explosions in the soggy new setting, developer Spiderling Studios is here to reassure you that they're getting even better than before. |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:20 AM  With the Amazon Fallout show spiking the entire series player numbers on Steam, now's the perfect time to check out some new Fallout 4 mods. Luckily for us then, one dedicated modder has just overhauled their previous work on perks, skills, and traits, making them feel more like the classic games while cutting out some of the more useless perks none of us want to spend our precious points on. Continue reading Fallout 4 mod gives its core leveling systems a much needed upgrade MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fallout 4 console commands, Fallout 4 mods, Fallout 4 System Requirements |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 3:45 PM  It's fair to say the Fallout TV show has been a massive hit and spurred on many people to replay some of the Fallout games, while also introducing a whole new generation of gamers to the series. However, if you've been tempted to jump into the first 3D version of the game series, Fallout 3, which is just $2.49 on Steam, you may have found it either doesn't run at all or doesn't run well. If so, here are a few ways to fix Fallout 3 for Windows 10 and 11 users. Fallout 3 is available in two versions on Steam. There's the original Fallout 3 release or the Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition, which costs $4.99. These fixes should apply to both versions of the game, though your mileage will vary a great deal based on the exact version of Windows you're running and all the hardware in your system. Continue reading Fallout 3 is broken for some, but here are some ways to fix it MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best PC RPG games, Fallout 5 release date, The best games like Fallout |
PCGamesN Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:55 AM  This could be your last chance to get hold of an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, as stock of AMD's high-end RDNA 2 GPUs appears to be drying up. With AMD's forthcoming RDNA 4 GPUs expected to launch at the end of 2024, and its current RDNA 3 lineup dropping in price, there's little room for AMD's last-gen graphics cards any more. Continue reading Now is your last chance to buy this AMD Radeon GPU MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
Twinfinite Saturday, April 20, 2024 11:24 AM  |
Twinfinite Saturday, April 20, 2024 11:01 AM  |
Siliconera Saturday, April 20, 2024 3:00 PM
Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, and many other action anime series follow a similar trope (you know the one if you've watched them), and it works. But too many series lean into this realm, sometimes not handling the concept as well, and it is beginning to show. Such is the case with the latest Spring 2024 anime series Kaiju No 8.
The first episode of Kaiju No 8 honestly gripped me from the beginning to almost the end of the premiere. This was largely due to the main character Kafka Hibino. In his version of modern-day Earth, kaiju (large monsters like Godzilla) attack on the regular. He is part of the unfortunate clean-up crew who doesn't fight these monsters, but rather takes care of the mess left behind by the Defense Force team that does.
As you can imagine, this leads to some gruesome and disgusting sequences as Hibino cleans up intestines, brains, and other disturbing matter after the Defense Force takes out a kaiju. This actually intrigued me, as it was so funny and engrossing (or rather, gross-ing in some cases). I enjoyed the idea of a show focusing on someone who was essentially this janitor for the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.
However, it didn't stop there. The end of the show made it clear this was never going to be what the series is about. Instead, it is indeed about high octane action as soldiers try to defeat these kaiju. Without spoiling too much, it certainly ends in a ridiculous manner that doesn't land as well as some of the other iterations of this idea in the past.
To Kaiju No 8's credit, the anime remained funny even after the yawn-inducing trope, which gives me some hope. After all, it still seems like Hibino will be at the center of the series and is the same goofy, lackadaisical guy as before. In addition, I am curious to see more about his backstory. The first episode hints at some connections between Hibino and a certain other star who is an established member of the team tackling kaiju. I look forward to see where that heads down the line.
My only concern is how Kaiju No 8 anime will handle the final twist from the premiere. So many of these series go down the same route of character dealing with this unfortunate incident and the response of everyone against them. I have already seen that so many times now. It would be best if this series just made the twist a natural thing and everyone got to business.
For now, we will have to wait and see on that front. At least the animation quality seems promise. This series has solid, modern designs, but it doesn't take itself too seriously here, either. The characters are a bit off and goofy, which help lend to the tone. But the animation studio Production I.G. knows when to show off in the action sequences. Even the 3D of the kaiju, which I don't always love in anime, doesn't look too noticeable or bad here.
I look forward to watching more of the Kaiju No 8 anime, but I hope it doesn't lean too much into the idea of trying to replace the greats that are ending soon like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and My Hero Academia. It works best when it leans into its own humorous identity.
Kaiju No. 8 is streaming right now on Crunchyroll.
The post Kaiju No 8 Retreads Overused Tropes and Ideas in Its First Episode appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:00 AM
At first glance, the setting of Delicious in Dungeon, or Dungeon Meshi, can seem a tad plain. It may look like an accessible, if generic, blend of Tolkein, Dragon Quest, and Sword World. But sometimes the most important part of a dish may not be the most overpowering flavor, but a subtle texture or memorable aftertaste. So too is the strength of Delicious in Dungeon, as it is found not in the high concept or even in the novelty of fantasy food, but in the care and attention to detail shown in its worldbuilding.
Editor's Note: The following contains discussion of the Delicious in Dungeon anime up to episode 16, as well as some allusions to events in the manga, and as such contains spoilers.
Even though the story starts with a very classical fantasy set up, there's groundwork being laid. If you've ever played Dungeons and Dragons or any number of other roleplaying games, you've likely had to decide whether you're actually going to make use of the rules governing supplies and logistics, keeping track of how many arrows your archer has fired and so on. Many players skip them and count it all as being done off-screen, so as not to ruin the flow of play. But in Delicious in Dungeon, logistics is a key part of the set up for the journey. In fact, the whole reason Laios and co. resort to eating monsters is the lack of money for proper supplies.
A significant section of the first episode of the anime is devoted to discussing the logistics of what is sometimes called a "corpse run," a journey back to where you previously died in order to reclaim your items (and in this case, Laios' sister Falin). It skips the minutiae, as there is no counting arrows or individual rations, and instead gets to the interesting aspects that require real decisions. Do they downgrade their equipment to secure supplies, or downsize their party further and rely on stealth? It emphasizes that despite the simple designs and accessible setting, this is a story where the material aspects of dungeoneering are fully considered, and that lends a weight to those decisions.
This weight, of course, impacts other areas. The demand for supplies and weapons, combined with the riches gleaned from the dungeon, has driven the development of the surrounding town. What was once a village on an unassuming island has become a major trade hub, with all the clamour and politicking that comes with so many people with different interests in one place. Episode 10 cuts away from the main party to outline just some of the maneuvers going on behind the scenes, from the Elf-Dwarf territorial disputes to Tansu and the lord of the island planning to incentivize further adventuring expeditions for their own ends.
Now, inter-species hostilities are hardly new to fantasy, but it's the way Delicious in Dungeon shows how people's perceptions inform not just the wider geopolitical landscape, but also the relationships between characters of different backgrounds. Early on this is played for laughs like when Senshi, who hasn't encountered many half-foots before, treats Chilchuck like a child. But later chapters of the manga only expound upon this, as more elven characters get involved and we see that arrogant, paternalistic attitude complicate the situation.
Speaking of species, Delicious in Dungeon also does well to avoid treating the various peoples in the setting as cultural monoliths. Despite their shared race, Senshi is criticized by Namari for not taking care of his weapon and he also mentions other dwarves doing the same for his lack of mining knowledge. He is, to borrow some academic phrasing, not "performing dwarvishness" enough to fit in, which likely influenced his hermit lifestyle. There's other dynamics expressed elsewhere too, like Chilchuck having a particular reputation among the other half-foots on the island or Shuro's heritage leading to the awkward dynamic he has with Laios. This is without even getting into the can of worms of which races get categorized as "human", and which are ostracized despite clear sentience, like the orcs. There's a lot of drama to be mined when people of different backgrounds simply exist and interact together, but a lot of sci-fi and fantasy often reduces it down to species-wide caricatures, whereas Delicious in Dungeon uses more subtly and smartly to add to its worldbuilding..
Then, there's the inhabitants of the dungeon. Just as the human town has it's own ecologies surrounding the dungeon, like corpse-retrievers and weapons shops, so too do the monsters interact with each other and their environment. This comes up as early as episode 2 of the anime with the hunting habits of the man-eating plants, but I find the giant frogs in episode 10 even more interesting. Not only have they developed an immunity to the vine-like tentacles they live alongside, but the tentacles in turn infest the holes in the walls left by trap mechanisms.
Even the dungeon itself operates almost organically, despite being an artifical magical construction, and in episode 16 is likened to a giant creature with its own immune system. And just as with real world environs it can be harmed by over-exploitation, as when Tansu reports how the early levels being stripped of treasure is requiring adventurers to risk going to deeper levels. The dungeon and the monsters within are more than just loot piñatas, they're organisms with their own complex web of relationships that can be disturbed. The adventurers and other humans also have a place in that ecology, but their relationship can be parasitic as much as it is symbiotic. Hence why Senshi likes to preach about not taking more than you need.
Again, none are these are concepts unique to Delicious in Dungeon or its worldbuilding, in fact most of them are observable in our real world minus the magical element. But logistics, geopolitics, ecology, all these things that aren't usually considered glamorous or engrossing each serve to make the setting richer and deeper than just "a cooking anime but fantasy".
Delicious in Dungeon is licensed in the United States by Yen Press, with the anime adaptation streaming now on Netflix.
The post The Secret to Delicious in Dungeon Worldbuilding Is Attention to Detail appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, April 20, 2024 2:34 PM  If you find a locked door requiring a Storage Room Key in No Rest for the Wicked but haven't found the key, we have the map location for you. It's tricky to find, but the hunt is worth it. How to find the Storage Room Key in No Rest for the Wicked On the way across the gate to the island's eastern side is a locked Storage Room that requires a key to unlock. Inside, you'll find a few goodies to loot that can replenish after a while since resources respawn. The Storage Room Key location in No Rest for the Wicked is shown on the map below and is sitting on a ledge on the western side of the map. Screenshot: PC Invasion Above the first fire pit you find is one large staircase on the right and a slimmer one on the left. Take the staircase on the left, then immediately turn left and walk to the edge. You should see a wooden ledge below you which is accessible if you hop down safely. Screenshots: PC Invasion There's a smaller, more hidden ledge ... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:19 AM  There are many Miracles in Sker Ritual, leading to many different builds that you can earn and improve as you play. But with so many options comes some hard choices. Although with more players, more Miracles can be benefitted from. I've ranked and listed all the Miracles in Sker Ritual into their own categories, otherwise it would be a pretty useless list as all the Tier 4 Miracles would hog the top spots. Best Tier 1 Miracles in Sker Ritual Screenshot: PC Invasion You can have five Tier 1 Miracles equipped, but not just any. The five slots will corroborate with a certain weapon or item that they'll be buffing. Instead of doing a tier list for all of these Miracles, I've instead ranked them from best to worst in their individual categories. All Gun Miracles ranked from best to worst Poison Fire (Nuckelavee) – Inflicts moderate damage over 5 seconds. Frost Fire (Cailleach) – +4% damage, and has a moderate chance to slow enemies by 50%.... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Saturday, April 20, 2024 8:16 AM  During the Innkeeper's Husband quest in No Rest for the Wicked, your objective is to get Gordon off a bridge. The problem is that there's a gap in the bridge that only you can jump across, so you need to find another way to get him down. Don't stress too hard — we've got you covered. Here's how to get Gordon down from the bridge in No Rest for the Wicked. No Rest for the Wicked: How to help Gordon on the bridge for the Innkeeper's Husband quest To get Gordon down from the bridge in No Rest for the Wicked, grab the Western Bridge Key that is on the ground right next to him. You're going to need this key in a bit, but for now, you'll need to trek across the map to Mariner's Keep. Head to the location indicated by the red arrow in the image below. Screenshot: PC Invasion Use the Western Bridge Key on the door at this location and progress through. Be prepared for challenging fights, as this path is littered with enemie... |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, April 20, 2024 3:52 PM The DLC will launch this week. The post Remnant 2 Gets New Invoker Archetype Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Saturday, April 20, 2024 3:35 PM This follows months after the game was taken offline "temporarily" The post LittleBigPlanet 3 Servers Have Been Permanently Taken Down appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |