Aug 18, 14:00


Kotaku Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:50 PM
    

When I left work on Tuesday, I immediately rushed to my nearest McDonald's in order to secure Pokémon cards from its latest Happy Meal promotion. I bought two kids meals (I do not have any children), and I was slightly disappointed when the employee handed me two plain Happy Meal boxes. I had been hoping to receive…

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Kotaku Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:30 AM
    

During the Pokémon World Championships, an annual invite-only esports event dedicated to all things pocket monsters which kicked off today, developer TiMi Studio Group revealed that the free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite will get a new map and a recognizable Gen III legendary dragon sometime soon.

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Kotaku Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:10 AM
    

The Pokémon World Championships, taking place in London this week, just unveiled a special freebie for those of us who are watching the tournament at home. From now until August 21, you can use a Mystery Gift code to redeem a Victini in Pokémon Sword And Shield.

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Kotaku Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:40 AM
    

Despite what Hollywood may have you think running a cult is tough work—or at least it is in Cult of the Lamb. Out now for consoles and PC, Cult of the Lamb is, depending on who you ask, an action roguelike with city-builder elements or a city-builder with action roguelike elements. Either way, it's astonishingly…

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Kotaku Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:30 AM
    

Indie retro tributes are a dime a dozen, but the really good ones are rarer than you think. Blazing Chrome, a 2019 run 'n' gun channeling Contra III, is one of them. And today its developers at JoyMasher announced they've got a new one in the works called Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. It's basically 16-Bit Ninja Gaiden

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PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:43 PM
     Classic Quake update 4 adds the Threewave CTF mod

Quake update 4 is out, timed to coincide with the kick-off of this year's QuakeCon, and it adds the classic capture the flag mod Threewave CTF to the modern version of the old-school FPS game. Originally published in 1996, Threewave CTF was an instant hit, and helped popularise a game mode that would eventually be included in all the big multiplayer shooters for decades to come.

RELATED LINKS: Best FPS games, Best old games, Best multiplayer games

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:19 PM
     Corsair Voyager a1600 gaming laptop launches, pricing starts at $2,699

The Corsair Voyager a1600 gaming laptop is now available, following a surprise launch event hosted by the company earlier today. There are four SKUs to choose from, each packing an AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU and pricing starts from $2,699 USD / £2,699.99 GBP / €3,299.99.

RELATED LINKS: Corsair HS70 headset review, Corsair K70 RGB Mk2 review, Best gaming keyboard

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:57 PM
     Apex Legends players turn to mob justice to resolve matchmaking woes

Apex Legends players are turning to mob justice to resolve their matchmaking woes in the battle royale game. The Apex Legends Season 14 release has proven very successful so far, with the new update pushing the game to a new Steam concurrent player record. However, many players have recently expressed dissatisfaction with the matchmaking system in the ranked mode for the FPS game.

One of the most highly upvoted posts on the Apex Legends subreddit at the time of writing is the latest in a series of rants from players at lower ranks who say they are fed up of dealing with Masters and Apex Predator rank players appearing in their lobbies. Another popular post urges developer Respawn to "stop worrying about matchmaking times," claiming that players would rather sit in queue for a little longer than end up in matches with players of vastly differing skill levels.

Now, it appears that the community has taken matters into their own hands. A viral clip shows a huge group of rival players seemingly teaming up with their enemies to eliminate a Predator rank player in their lobby. Inqo, the player in question - who goes by datemike97 on Reddit - posted a short video of them dropping at the start of a round only to realise that a huge number of players are trailing behind them in pursuit.

RELATED LINKS: Apex Legends characters guide, Apex Legends skins, Apex Legends map guide

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:46 PM
     Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide

Want to know what all the Vampire Survivors weapon evolutions are? This roguelite indie game is rapidly gaining in popularity as players discover the sheer joy of walking around a forest or library, slaying an ever-growing encroaching horde of monsters that just want to be very close to you.

It's a relatively simple game, but mastering it and unlocking Vampire Survivors characters can get tricky if you don't spec into the correct build from the start. To evolve an item in Vampire Survivors, you must first level up a weapon to its maximum level, collect its linked item when it appears on the level-up screen, then kill an elite monster and open the chest it leaves behind. Unfortunately, you only have a few slots for weapons and items, so you must choose carefully.

The items that synergise well with a weapon aren't necessarily the items you need to evolve them, so while you'll want to pick up the Candelabrador if you have the Garlic weapon, you also need a Pummarola to power it up. If you don't have the new Grim Grimoire item to help you figure out which items you should keep on a run with the best Vampire Survivors characters, we've put together a list of all the possible Vampire Survivors weapon evolutions and which items you need to pick up to get the best Vampire Survivors builds.

RELATED LINKS: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:46 PM
     How to unlock secret characters in Vampire Survivors

Want to know how to unlock secret characters in Vampire Survivors? When you start your first run you only have a handful of Vampire Survivors characters and a few weapons available. However, on each playthrough, more items, weapons, and characters unlock for you to use in future attempts.

These items are vital if you wish to use Vampire Survivor weapon evolutions to maximise a weapon's damage output for the best Vampire Survivors build. The game also locks new characters behind requirements, such as leveling up your gear to a certain threshold, finding items in a level, or slaying a quota of monsters. Later on, you can also find Arcana to give your weapons unique bonuses to annihilate your foes.

Some of these unlock conditions are vague and confusing, so we thought we'd list how you can get all of the Vampire Survivors characters, weapons, items, and levels. We also have a cheat code that you need to type to get another hidden vampire slayer and steps to access other secret characters.

RELATED LINKS: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:42 PM
     The best Genshin Impact Dendro Traveler build

Looking for the best Dendro Traveler build? With the introduction of Sumeru and the Dendro element in Genshin Impact 3.0, players will have a fourth option for their Travelers in terms of the element they wield. The Anemo and Geo Travelers leave much to be desired, and as exciting as the Electro Traveler is, the new Dendro Traveler is also causing a stir.

You can look at our dedicated Dendro Traveler abilities guide to find out more, but this new Traveler variant has a surprisingly decent elemental burst. This is great for dealing Dendro damage even when off-field, which serves you well if you can't wish for Tighnari or Collei. The Sub-DPS role suits the Dendro Traveler perfectly, and our build is designed to get the most out of its unique abilities.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:39 PM
     Warzone and Vanguard Season 5 release date, weapons, and events

Want to know more about the Call of Duty Warzone season 5 release date? The final season of Warzone Pacific and Vanguard is almost here, providing players with one last batch of content as we count down the days to the Modern Warfare 2 release date. Warzone season 4 introduced Fortune's Keep, the latest map to join the battle royale game, a host of changes to Caldera, and plenty of balance changes to keep the best Warzone loadouts meta fresh.

Warzone is no stranger to crossovers, with the Season 4 Reloaded update featuring a Terminator-themed event: The Titanium Trials. If the current batch of leaks are anything to go by, it looks like the Umbrella Academy could be the next big IP to join the FPS game. We can also expect brand new weapons to add to the best Warzone guns list, and there's one last round-based Zombies map where players can finally take on Lord Kortifex.

RELATED LINKS: Warzone loadouts, Best AR in Warzone , The best guns in Warzone

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:26 PM
     Tower of Fantasy hackers named and shamed by devs

Tower of Fantasy hackers have been a problem since the title's release, ruining the RPG game for players that simply want to grind and pick up the best Tower of Fantasy characters. As player concerns continue to rise, Hotta Studio have brought down the ban hammer on thousands of cheating accounts - but they've also named and shamed the hackers for their transgressions.

RELATED LINKS: Tower of Fantasy codes, Tower of Fantasy characters, How to level up in Tower of Fantasy

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:24 PM
     Genshin Impact Pizza Hut collaboration adds exclusive Kamera

Ahead of the Genshin Impact 3.0 update, HoYoverse is teaming up with another big brand once again, this time with a Genshin Impact Pizza Hut collaboration. Much like the KFC event from 2021, fans will be able to obtain in-game items by participating in this event between August 29 and September 17. The rewards include a new Kamera device, a furnishing stand for the Serenitea Pot, several unique food dishes, and a decent amount of Mora.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:17 PM
     FIFA 23 Heroes: every confirmed player so far, Marvel Heroes, and more

Excited to discover who made it onto the FIFA 23 Heroes list? FUT Heroes are a special group of players that left a lasting impression on their league with their extraordinary talents. These players share a number of similarities with FIFA 23 Icons, however, there are plenty of key differences that you need to be aware of before signing your own Hero.

FIFA 23 Heroes tend to feature lower stats compared to Icons, and they don't have the same level of freedom that Icon cards do when it comes to slotting into teams. You need to pair Heroes up with players from their respective league or nation in order to obtain max chemistry, whereas Icons can fit into any team without facing restrictions. Here's a list of confirmed players joining the FIFA 23 Heroes list.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:10 PM
     Elden Ring bosses just got a lot scarier with, um, Pingu

Elden Ring bosses – just that phrase alone is enough to strike fear into the heart of any fan of From Software's sandbox RPG, still struggling with the memories of Radagon, the Beast Clergyman, and of course, Malenia. But the Dark Souls and Bloodborne-inspired action-adventure just got a whole lot scarier, as adorable plasticine Pingu now haunts the Lands Between.

RELATED LINKS: The best Elden Ring builds, Elden Ring bosses, The best Elden Ring classes

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:55 AM
     Vampire Survivors cheats

Want a list of all of the Vampire Survivors cheats? It seems like a cruel joke for the roguelike game to add cheat codes this late in development, but here we are. Patch 0.10.0 gave would-be vampire hunters a chance to enter some codes for powerful abilities. You can click on the Yellow Sign entry seven times to unlock this secret menu, but it will disappear not long afterwards.

To permanently unlock the Vampire Survivors cheats, you need to find the Forbidden Scrolls of Morbane, which you can obtain by slaying the Bone Orb in the Bone Zone. Once you pick this up, a new secrets menu will appear on the main menu. Not only can you enter cheats here, but you can also see the conditions for unlocking the hidden Vampire Survivors unlockable characters. Of course, you can also just enter codes to unlock them; we have the full list below.

RELATED LINKS: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:42 AM
     Vampire Survivors new character Queen Sigma last before 1.0

The next Vampire Survivors new character, the mighty Queen Sigma, headlines the last major content update for the roguelike game before the Vampire Survivors 1.0 launch. The new update, Vampire Survivors patch 0.11.100, also features new weapons, a new arcana, and a handful of new cheats - sorry, spells - for the survival game.

Vampire Survivors patch 0.11.100, titled 'All-In-One,' releases on August 18, and as always you can expect to find plenty of hidden things that aren't listed in the patch notes. What we do know, however, is that the patch features new character Queen Sigma, who is the first addition to get her own fancy reveal trailer.

The video gives us a brief introduction to Queen Sigma, saying that "she'll grace us with her presence, and rise to the challenge as the most powerful being in the world's army." We then get to see her in action, decimating enemies with flashes of light across the screen before she seemingly transforms into a galaxy of stars and evaporates everything in sight.

RELATED LINKS: The best survival games on PC in 2022, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:38 AM
     Classic RPGs arrive on PC Game Pass to celebrate QuakeCon

QuakeCon 2022 gets underway today, and to help celebrate, Microsoft is adding some classic RPGs and FPS games from Bethesda's back catalogue to PC Game Pass. The subscription service will add games from the Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, and Quake series today, and several classic titles will be available free on the Microsoft Store.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:45 AM
     Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered PC review – a marvellous port

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered has finally swung on to PC, almost two years after its release on PlayStation 5 and just shy of four years since its original release. However, this isn't quite the same game you might have played on either platform. This version contains some exclusive enhancements that make it the best way to play the titular webhead's finest videogame outing to date.

RELATED LINKS: Spiderman PC specs, Spider-Man PC games, Spider-Man Remastered PC review

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:51 AM
     WD Black SN850X NVMe SSD launches, boasts unmatched read speeds

The WD Black SN850X NVMe SSD launches today, and it packs performance that you simply won't find in any other PCIe 4.0 drive. In fact, it boasts unmatched read speeds that make it the top choice for anyone who simply must have top tier components in their system.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:46 AM
     Half-Life 2 speedrun beats Ravenholm in almost 2 and a half minutes

A new Half-Life 2 speedrun world record sees the iconic and terrifying Ravenholm level from Valve's sci-fi FPS defeated in barely over 2 and a half minutes, just enough time to check Steam and see there's still no Half-Life 3.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:36 AM
     Genshin Impact events – all current and upcoming events

Want to know more about the upcoming Genshin Impact events? A new version of Genshin Impact arrives every six weeks, complete with new characters, quests, and events. It's difficult to keep track of which events are currently running and if there are any new ones coming soon, so here's a schedule for all current and upcoming Genshin Impact events.

There are usually a number of Genshin Impact events running simultaneously, and they aren't just in-game events. When a new Genshin Impact character joins the game, the devs launch a web event at the same time - players learn about the latest characters through an interactive story told through a web browser. The rewards for completing different events range from in-game items like primogems and mora, to real life prizes like mouse mats and plushies.

Just like the Genshin Impact banners, most events are only available for a limited time, so it's worth participating as soon as you can. New events are usually added to Genshin Impact after an update, but it's worth keeping an eye out on this page as the devs do like to surprise the community.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:57 AM
     Dead Island 2 release date listing suggests zombie game lives

The appearance of a Dead Island 2 release date listing on Amazon marks the latest time the zombie game has burst a dishevelled arm through the upcoming games calendar, and suggests that it could be arriving as soon as February 2023. Publisher THQ Nordic and its parent company Embracer Group have repeatedly reiterated that Dead Island 2 is still in development after its disappearance following an initial announcement in 2014.

Since then, the game has changed developers multiple times, and tips earlier this year from Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors hinted that the game could arrive by the end of the current financial year (which ends at the end of March 2023). In 2020, an old development build leaked of the game from the time when Yager was in charge of development. Now, a brand new Amazon listing highlighted by Twitter user Wario64 suggests that the game could be arriving on February 3, 2023. The release date has since been removed from the listing.

The "Day One Edition" listed for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles promises a handful of in-game cosmetics, as well as a baseball bat and a weapon perk. An Epic Games document made public during the Epic vs Apple trial in 2019 suggested that Dead Island 2 will be an Epic Games store exclusive - following in the footsteps of the Saints Row reboot that is launching as a timed exclusive on the platform.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:58 AM
     Intel Arc A580 competes with Nvidia RTX 3060 in benchmark

The Intel Arc A580 remains a largely mysterious graphics card, but it should theoretically offer performance somewhere in between the budget friendly A380 and flagship A770 GPUs. Now, the pixel pusher has finally appeared in the wild and seems to compete with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 in a newly unearthed benchmark.

RELATED LINKS: Arc Alchemist GPUs - everything we know, Raptor Lake CPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:34 AM
     Fallout 4 mod adds DLC-style content to Bethesda's apocalypse RPG

A new Fallout 4 mod offers a level of extra material and content to Bethesda's apocalypse RPG that's similar in size to an official DLC pack, bringing new creatures, monsters, and crafting options to the irradiated Commonwealth, and something more to tide you over as we wait for the elusive Starfield release date.

RELATED LINKS: Fallout 4 console commands, Fallout 4 mods, Buy Fallout 4

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:15 AM
     Gaming chairs up to $200 off in Vertagear Summer Sale

If you've been meaning to replace your old gaming chair for some time, the advent of the Vertagear Summer Sale might be the perfect opportunity for you to do so. Vertagear is among some of the most well-known and respected manufacturers of gaming chairs, and this sale is a good opportunity for you to grab a quality seat at a discount price.

So what makes Vertagear gaming chairs so special? Well, part of the reason that so many people choose Vertagear, is the high level of lumbar support that its chairs provide. Using the ContourMax Lumbar, the seats can help to alleviate tension throughout your whole body by contouring itself to the shape of your back. This will keep you in the healthiest position even during the longest gaming sessions.


PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:10 AM
     Old AF League of Legends accounts are getting binned

League of Legends accounts can be 13 years old. 13 years of human time converted to video game years means that, well, those accounts are ancient. The MOBA is more popular than ever, however, with an alleged user base of over 180 million people - and it's showing no signs of stopping any time soon. With that, Riot Games have made the decision to review every account and prune anything that's been inactive for over three years.

RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 12.16 notes, LoL tier list

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 8:06 AM
     Fortnite Dragon Ball Kamehameha hides an excellent easter egg

Fortnite's Kamehameha is one of the coolest features of the battle royale game's incredible Dragon Ball crossover event. If you've not had the chance to check it out yet, it should absolutely go to the top of your to-do list because it's pure undiluted fun, but it actually also hides a very cool nod to the anime, too.

RELATED LINKS: Fortnite Refer a Friend, Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 speculation, Fortnite Dragon Ball event details

PCGamesN Thursday, August 18, 2022 7:39 AM
     The Minecraft Vanilla Cape is a weird mystery

The Minecraft Vanilla Cape has players stumped. Minecraft has plenty of cool capes. Did you know that? It's one of those item slots in the sandbox game that a lot of people probably don't pay much attention to, but they're there if you want them. A few of these items are for doing things like migrating your Mojang account, or attending events, but an upcoming one requires you to have already done something.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:30 PM
    

This year's QuakeCon begins today, and it's once again being staged as a digital-only event. The organisers say they're committed to being an in-person event again in 2023 but for now there's still some intriguing streams to tune into starting from 6pm BST/7pm CEST/10am PST. Read on for more info and our personal highlights on what's happening at QuakeCon 2022.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:30 AM
    

Earlier this month, arcade roguelike Vampire Survivors added a cheat menu of 'spells' in its Not One patch. They're going not-one better with the 0.11.100 patch today, christened The All-In-One, by adding in more cheats, a new character and two more weapons. Witness the arrival of Queen Sigma in the fancy trailer below.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:27 AM
    

Today's topic for The Electronic Wireless Show podcast comes from listener Alastair Fakelastname, who suggested we talk about some of our favourite brave last stands in video game history. We do discuss what constitutes a last stand for the purposes of our discussion, but not until quite some time into the podcast. Many things are thrown into the ring, from RTS classics to famous boxart.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:40 AM
    

I have a new favourite bug: Janet Jackson's 1989 certified choon Rhythm Nation had an uncanny ability to crash certain old laptops. This was nothing to do with the file itself; even being near another laptop playing the song could cause a crash. Turns out, one of the sonic frequencies in Rhythm Nation coincided with the natural resonant frequencies of a particular laptop hard drive, making it crash. Amazing. Perfect. A perfect bug.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:31 AM
    

Side quests sure are fun, aren't they? Newly announced indie open-world RPG All Hail Temos eschews a main story to double-down on those distracting tangents, in a fantasy world not too dissimilar from games in Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls series such as perennial favourite Skyrim. Delve into the blocky fantasy realm by watching the teaser trailer below.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:51 AM
    

I often grumble about remasters and 'HD texture packs' making classic games look worse than the original (heck, I don't even play Quake with newfangled texture filtering). And yet, I am delighted by a new Doom mod which replaces all the sprites for enemies and items with new 3D forms. The secret is voxels, carefully recreating those old 2D sprites in 3D pixels. It's pretty great, in a 'makes the game actually look the way I had remembered it' sort of way.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:30 AM
    

If you were fond of roguelike deck-building RPG Hand Of Fate and its sequel then you might be interested in the newly revealed superhero tactics RPG Capes. It's in development at Spitfire Interactive, a freshly founded studio made up of former Hand Of Fate devs. None of the characters in the trailer seem to be wearing their blankets around their shoulders, but it's worth a watch all the same.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 8:04 AM
    

Just like the zombies that'll presumably shamble around in it, Dead Island 2 keeps clinging on to life. Newly posted product listings for the console versions on Amazon US have shed some dying light – sorry – on the eternally-in-development horror game, first announced eight years ago at E3 2014. Here's that infamous trailer once again, just for old times sake.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 7:30 AM
    

Square Enix have made a vast array of RPGs over the years, but rarely have they ventured into the realm tactics and strategy games. A couple of big names come to mind, the obvious one being Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre if you count their PSP remake of Quest's SNES original, and most recently, Triangle Strategy on the Switch. Outside of that, though, it's all a bit barren, which is why the real-time tactical sword-swinging of their upcoming strategy RPG The DioField Chronicle is such an interesting landgrab for them. To say they're pushing into new territory would be an understatement.

Happily, judging by the sizable first chapter of the game (currently available to play for free on Steam until the game's release on September 22nd), it's clear that Square Enix and their development partners at Lancarse have a lot of smart decisions here. With its focus on individual hero characters instead of nameless military units, mixed in with the magical pizazz and flashy summons of its Final Fantasy games, The DioField Chronicle could just be the Fire Emblem-shaped hole PC players have been looking for.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, August 18, 2022 6:32 AM
    

It's a running gag that Swedish conglomerate Embracer Group regularly buy up large chunks of the games industry, but now they've only gone and bought a whole universe. Embracer have acquired the rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit properties from long-time owner The Saul Zaentz Company. That includes games, along with movies and other media content, folks. Ol' Embracer have also acquired seven companies within the gaming realm.

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Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:40 PM
     The developers of Redfall show the new vampire game and discuss many of its aspects.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:37 PM
     Some gaming trends deserve to be forgotten

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:11 PM
     A guide detailing the best moveset and counters for Obstagoon in Pokemon GO.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:05 PM
     With multiple cancelled DC projects, will there be a Young Justice season 5?

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:00 PM
     Find out how Jacob Dzwinel's new action game fares in our review.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:42 AM
     The Beechcraft Bonanza V35 joins Microsoft Flight Simulator's lineup of DLC planes.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:39 AM
     How big EA Sports' latest football game is.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:26 AM
     A list showcasing the top 13 best horror villains in cinema, ranked.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:21 AM
     Naughty Dog released another video clip comparing the graphics of The Last of Us Part 1 against The Last of Us Remastered.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:21 AM
     It looks like there might not be a fifth season of Young Justice.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:14 AM
     GTA Online's Weekly Update is here.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:06 AM
     Bethesda and if Software are bringing their classic games to PC Game Pass, on top of freebies.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:57 AM
     Find out how many cards are in a Pokemon deck.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:55 AM
     Wondering who is portraying the role of Tighnari in Genshin Impact? Well here's everything you need to know about Tighnari voice actors.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:53 AM
     The Tower of Fantasy cast has been dubbed by various popular voice artists and we've unveiled the name of every voice artist in this article.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:30 AM
     1 million people have already played Cult of the Lamb.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:06 AM
     Today Bandai Namco showcased another of the characters that will appear in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R with a new trailer.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:02 AM
     Which Haikyuu!! Character Is Your Soulmate?

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:00 AM
     Here's our review for Soul Hackers 2.

Twinfinite Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:00 AM
     This handy explainer will tell all about Demon Recon Icons because the game makes you search for it.

Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Ace Combat mascot Nugget explains Strangereal world lore of Ace Combat 5 The Unsung War

Bandai Namco and Project Aces continue their official lore explanation for the Ace Combat series with Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. Following the first video for Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, the series mascot Nugget returns to explain the story summary of the franchise's second PS2 entry.

Ace Combat 5 was the first title to reveal the complete map of the Strangereal world outside of the Usean continent. The Circum-Pacific War covered multiple continents as a war between two of the world's largest nations, the Osean Federation and the Union of Yuktobanian Republics. However, the war also had a background where a number of Belkans infiltrated both nations and pitted them against each other to avenge the loss of the Belkan Federation in a previous war.

The Japanese video, which also has English closed captions, explained how the protagonists formed the legendary Razgriz squadron to rescue the pacifist leaders of both nations and unravel the conspiracy, bringing an end to the war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1kgrwuvZyY

With the publication of Ace Combat 5's lore video, Project Aces has established a schedule based on the games' chronological release order starting from the PS2-era games. Nugget will cover the lore of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War in the next episode.

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War originally appeared on the PlayStation 2 in 2004. The game is also available on PlayStation 4 through a time-limited bonus for early purchases of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown on the platform in early 2019.

The post Nugget's Strangereal Explanation Continues With Ace Combat 5 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Symphonic Poem from Genso Suikoden orchestra concert

A new Suikoden orchestra concert will appear physically in Japan. Titled "Symphonic Poem from Genso Suikoden," the concert will take place in Tokyo on October 16, 2022. Pre-orders for the concert tickets have been available in the country since August 12, 2022. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

The concert's official webpage also revealed the complete setlist. Grand Philharmonic Tokyo will perform tracks from all five mainline series entries, with more emphasis on those from the first two titles. The orchestra will also include a pipe organ and mixed chorus.

The concert will begin with "Requiem" and "Into a World of Illusions" from the first Suikoden. A medley of music from all five mainline entries will follow afterward. The latter parts will be entirely comprised of Suikoden II tracks.

Despite the lack of new Suikoden entries, orchestra concerts featuring the series' tracks have been held frequently in Japan. The upcoming concert will feature a return of physical venue and audience after the COVID-19 pandemic forced online-only performances. In April 2021, Japan Game Music Orchestra held weekly online concerts featuring different tracks from the Suikoden series to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The Symphonic Poem from Genso Suikoden orchestra concert will take place at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall on October 16, 2022. The venue will open at 12:30 JST, and the concert will begin at 14:00 JST.

The post Symphonic Poem from Suikoden Concert Will Appear in October 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:00 AM
    

One Punch Man Season 3

One Punch Man season 3 is now in production. Official accounts for the One Punch Man anime confirmed that the series will get a third season, with more information to come at a later date. Alongside the announcement, it also released a new teaser visual featuring series protagonist Saitama and antagonist Garo. There is no confirmed release window as of yet. [Thanks, Natalie!]

The One Punch Man website revealed that the new visual was illustrated by Chikashi Kubota. Kubota served as the character designer for both seasons 1 and 2 of the anime. The upcoming season will pick up where the previous one left off, as Garo starts to become a greater threat to the Hero Association.

One Punch Man originally started as a webcomic in 2009, before Shueisha picked up the series in 2012. It follows Saitama, a comically powerful hero who struggles with the fact that he can defeat most enemies with one punch. The manga series is currently in its 26th volume. Madhouse later produced an anime adaptation of the series in 2015, before handing the series off to J.C. Staff for a second season in 2019.

You can get a better look at the One Punch Man season 3 teaser visual below:

One Punch Man Season 3

Yusuke Murata, the illustrator of the One Punch Man manga series, also announced that he will be taking a one-month hiatus. Furthermore, Murata revealed that he would be working on a new series and that he would be taking a hiatus in order to prepare. Murata will continue updating fans on new episodes.

One Punch Man season 3 is in production. The previous seasons are available to watch on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation.

The post One Punch Man Season 3 Has Been Confirmed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:00 AM
    

soul hackers 2 review

Playing Soul Hackers 2 sometimes feels like taking a long road trip across the United States. There's a lot of boring traveling in the doing. You'll pass through a bunch of places that look the same, no matter where you go. Every so often, you'll take a stop, see the sights, talk with friends, and have quite the fun experience. But it won't always be enough to erase the monotony.

Soul Hackers 2 presents itself as a halfway point of sorts between the character and narrative focus of the stereotypical JRPG and the combat and mechanical focus of the stereotypical dungeon-crawler. Even the marketing seems to position the game as trying to split the difference and succeed in the middle ground between Shin Megami Tensei and Persona. In reality, it's weighed quite a bit more on the dungeon-crawler (read: SMT) side of the equation. The story is quite simple, and despite the stylish visuals, Atlus doesn't present it in the most engaging way. Yet, Soul Hackers 2's playable cast is appealing enough to make you want to know more about them, and thus want want to play through the plot.

As I mentioned in the preview, that plot of Soul Hackers 2 is as straightforward as the setup from the trailers. Ringo and Figue are agents of Aion, which is essentially a sentient supercomputer. Aion sends them to the human world to save it from the apocalypse. To do so, they need a man named Arrow, but Ringo finds him dead. Using the powers of Soul Hack, she revives Arrow. She then does the same for two more companions: Milady, and Saizo. According to Aion, all three of them are Devil Summoners, who use their gun-like COMP systems to call demons to fight for them. They're all instrumental to saving the world from the apocalypse Aion predicts.

What's not clear from the trailers is that this all happens in just the first half-hour or so of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MG-SqnJsT0

Soul Hackers 2 is structured so that the narrative doesn't overstay its welcome or interfere with the meat of the game - dungeon crawling – but doesn't give the setup much weight. Why are you in this particular area of the city to dungeon-crawl? How did you meet up with these characters? The narrative build-up doesn't feel organic. As a result, it may be difficult for players to care, particularly those coming in with their expectations set by Persona's narrative focus. If you play this game specifically for the challenge and dungeons, however, then that is not an issue.

This issue persists as you continue on with the game. Soul Hackers 2 presents major epiphanies with the same amount of fanfare as a minor plot twist. Just like how there is little time for you to feel anything for the plot or characters before the game shuffles you along to the next dungeon, there are no hints or foreshadowing at all. It feels like watching a murder mystery film, but you're not told who died and how, only to cut to the detective unmasking the killer and playing the closing credits. The meat of the plot feels missing somehow.

Soul Hackers 2 shines through in its characters, though it does take a while before this particular silver lining shows itself, unfortunately. As you play through the game and explore the Soul Matrix, you learn more about their particular subplots and histories. Hangout events, as well as the story, also allow you a glimpse of their private lives and fun idiosyncrasies. Even Figue, who isn't really a party member, is very likeable. I love how earnest she is about everything. Of the cast, Ringo is probably the hardest character to relate to. Everyone else has an actual stake in the story. In contrast, and despite being the leader, Ringo just seems to be along for the ride most of the time.

[gallery ids="933775,933776,933777" link="file"]

Though the narrative falls short in some ways, it's clear that the dungeon-crawling is really the whole point of Soul Hackers 2. The battle system is detailed and engaging. While it is turn-based, it feels fast and smooth. Demons can be equipped to party members like weapons, giving the characters access to the equipped Demon's abilities. Therefore, no single set of demons can carry you through the entire game. You'll need to vary things up to exploit enemy weaknesses and build a stock of "Stacks", points used to activate Ringo's special abilities.

Ringo also has Commander Abilities that can be used without consuming a turn. Keeping track of your Stacks is necessary for a smooth run. The game is challenging enough that you can't mindlessly charge through it. However, it's not so difficult that you will ever get stuck or feel like you've lost a lot of progress. On the rare occasions an enemy encounter went sideways, I could simply escape with a Trafuri Bomb, Traesto to the town map, and go to the safehouse to recuperate. The auto-save function before boss fights also helps if you mess up. Those who want a more "classic" SMT difficulty experience may want to start from a harder difficulty level.

And yet, though the whole point and large portion of Soul Hackers 2 is dungeon-crawling, it does have its low points. Dungeons you visit for the story vary enough in gimmick and appearance that they can stand additional visits to handle optional requests. However, the Soul Matrix dungeons for Arrow, Milady, and Saizo – the dungeons you will likely traipse around for the majority of the game – all look exactly the same. They all have the same color scheme and enemies. It doesn't matter whose Soul Matrix you are in, they're all like that, and there is no escape.

[gallery ids="933778,933779,933780" link="file"]

It would not be so bad if the Soul Matrix varied from character to character. Say, if Milady's Soul Matrix were red and had more Herald demons, versus Arrow's Soul Matrix being blue and having more Yomas. Even minor alterations like that would make the journey easier. For a game that's so focused on its dungeon-crawling side, the crawling shouldn't get so unbearable at times.

Unlocking the floors for the Soul Matrix also requires a certain Soul Level. You can level that up through hangout events. The majority happen through story dialog choices. The illusion of choice is nice, but it can get old. More and more rarely do you see a dialogue option you'd actually want to say as the game goes on. Instead, you'll choose it because it helps you unlock the next part of someone's Soul Matrix.

Even if I couldn't care less about Arrow's opinion on a given topic, I still have to ask him. If I don't, then I can't access 4F of his Soul Matrix. In my opinion, this aspect of the Soul Matrix would've been better served by a different unlocking method. That way you could interact with Soul Hackers 2 characters because you like them, rather than just needing them.

Soul Hackers 2 succeeds at fusing appealing character elements and story into a more traditional dungeon-crawling mode. In a lot of ways it does manage to travel that middle path between the extremes of its sibling series. But its bright spots don't quite mask the moments where the moments where both its halves can fall short.

Soul Hackers 2 will come out on August 25, 2022 in Japan and August 26, 2022 for North America. It'll debut on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.

The post Review: Soul Hackers 2 Relieves Dungeon-Crawls With Character appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:00 AM
    

axia krone nijisanji hiatus

Nijisanji VTuber Axia Krone announced that he will take a break from streaming. For how long is unknown. The reason behind Axia's break is due to negative behavior from viewers towards Axia himself, and other Nijisanji VTubers. Nijisanji also released a statement about it, as well as what it plans to do in the future to protect its performers.

According to the statement, Axia's break is due to the behavior of "antis" (a slang term for viewers who engage in harassment and persistent aggression, often synonymous with "haters" in English). These antis make libelous statements about Axia on social media, as well as "maliciously spread fake news". VTubers who collaborated with or are friends with Axia also received abusive comments and threats of violence. Some posted large amounts of Axia-related spam in streams Axia was not present for. For this, Axia had to apologize after every collaboration for the antis' disruptive behavior.

In Axia's announcement, he stated that he had communicated several issues to fans ever since his first Apex Legends stream. Viewers were "treating [him] like their son" or calling him "cute," despite his asking them to stop. He brought up specific examples, such as viewers saying he's "in his rebellious phase" when he asked them to refrain from such behavior.

Axia Krone a Nijisanji male VTubers, and part of part of the group "Edengumi". He debuted in July 2021 alongside fellow members Lauren Iroas, Leos Vincent, Oliver Evans, and Lain Paterson.

Because VTubers other than Axia have been the target of anti behavior, Axia discussed matters with Nijisanji and requested a break from streaming. He said it is "for his mental health". Nijisanji stated that it has already contacted legal counsel and law enforcement to discuss compensation with some identified offenders. They judged the behavior disruptive enough to streams that Nijisanji feels it can file suit for obstruction of business. Nijisanji stated that it will treat future incidents with the same gravitas.

Axia's stream archives are available via his YouTube channel. It is unknown when Axia will return. Nijisanji opened auditions for English-language VTubers in March 2022.

The post VTuber Axia Krone of Nijisanji Goes on Break Due to Antis appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 8:00 AM
    

life is strange arcadia bay collection

The Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection will come out on September 27, 2022 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. This set will contain both Life is Strange Remastered and Life is Strange: Before the Storm. You can purchase it physically or digitally. Digital pre-orders will be available closer to the launch date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A8Zh7gZUlQ

All of the updates for the games are in the Arcadia Bay Collection, and the developers have optimized it for the Nintendo Switch. The Tweet from the Life is Strange official Twitter account states that box pre-orders are open "from today at all good retailers." However, he only storefront that appears to have the physical version is the Square Enix store. It may be available at a later date in stores such as Best Buy.

Life is Strange is a graphic adventure game where dialogue options affect the story through short-term and long-term consequences. The first game follows Maxine "Max" Caulfield after she returns to Arcadia Bay. She unlocks the ability to rewind time after she witnesses the shooting of her friend, Chloe. Before the Storm is a prequel that follows Chloe instead. In that one, Chloe befriends a student named Rachel Amber and helps Rachel to search for her birth mother.

Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection is available for pre-order from the Square Enix online store. Digital pre-orders will open closer to its release date of September 27, 2022. It will come out exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

The post Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection Release Date Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, August 18, 2022 7:00 AM
    

fire emblem warriors three hopes

Global sales for Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes has surpassed a million units. However, Nintendo has not provided numbers on how many were sold in each territory. In commemoration, you can download a free wallpaper. It depicts all of the characters who appear in the game.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes debuted worldwide on June 24, 2022. This means that Nintendo reached the million units milestone in under two months. In comparison, Fire Emblem Warriors took seven months to sell a million units. For those who are curious as to how the game feels and plays, there is a demo available in the Nintendo eShop. There is no news as of yet if there will be DLC for Three Hopes.

Like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, there is a time skip within the game separating the Academy phase and the War phase. However, the game plays like a hack-and-slash musou, though there are strategic elements such as in character placement. Instead of playing as Byleth, your protagonist is Shez. Like with Byleth, you can choose what gender you want Shez to present as. The game also includes several elements of Three Houses, such as in the adjutant and battalion systems.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is available on the Nintendo Switch. You can read our review for it here.

The post Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes Sold Over a Million Units appeared first on Siliconera.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:00 PM
     Dead Island 2 Release In February 2023 Amazon Listing LeakPotential leaks regarding Dead Island 2 have surfaced. Twitter user Wario64 spotted an Amazon listing for Dead Island 2, the upcoming zombie action RPG developed by Dambuster Studios. While the posting was clearly accidental, it revealed that Dead Island 2 will release on February 3, 2023. The leaked entry was for Dead Island 2: Day One Edition with the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X versions being posted. Although a PC version wasn't part of this leak we have no reason to assume that it won't be coming. After all, the previous entry released on PC, and publisher Deep Silver has launched most of its games on PC as well.   Alongside its release date, the listing also had a description for Dead Island 2. From this we know that players will explore Los Angeles on a journey that spans from the suburbia of Beverly Hills to the promenades of Venice Beach. It promises combat that delivers an "intense, visceral, and gory first person experience" as...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:30 PM
     Dread Templar update creatures shootingSo far, developer T19 Games' red-tinted first-person shooter Dread Templar has remained in Early Access for over a year. Inspired by old-school '90s shooters such as Quake, Dread Templar managed to achieve a "very positive" rating on Steam out of nearly 400 user reviews. Clearly the game does more than simply remind you of the good old days. Fans of Dread Templar will soon have the opportunity to try out the full release later this year, but in the meantime, you can check out the final Early Access content update that T19 Games just dropped. This update allows players to hone their skills in a whole new way thanks to the addition of Guardian Mode. This endless survival mode tasks the player with defending a blue crystal against waves of dangerous foes until either the player dies or the crystal ends up destroyed. As players defeats enemies and progresses through any given run, they will earn currency that can be spent on power-ups, supplies, or health refil...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:00 PM
     Midnight Fight Express Review 3There are few video game genres I find more cathartic than the beat 'em up. I mean, what better way to end a hectic day than to knock around an army of street punks? If you feel the same, Midnight Fight Express is cathartic; the bone-crunching combat, along with the thudding soundtrack are great for winding down. However, don't expect the game to wow you with innovation. Midnight Fight Express is like a mashup of the genre's greatest hits. You fight your way through waves of enemies in the streets, on rooftops, through the sewers, and, of course, on an elevator. The combat is a blend of light and heavy attacks, with melee and long-range weapons. There's also a more forgiving version of a parry system inspired by the Batman Arkham series. If you're a fan of brawlers, Midnight Fight Express feels like bits and pieces of just about all of them.   But that familiarity is hardly a critique if that's what you're looking for. If so, the game will...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:00 AM
     Soul Hackers 2 Review 1I used to love turn-based RPGs. However, as I got older, I started to find them more and more boring. Most of them feel incredibly interchangeable to me, to the point that I often didn't feel like they had gameplay as much as a bunch of mostly identical experiences with different coats of paint. That is, barring anything with the Shin Megami Tensei name attached to it. The series has always been fun to me, as I've long loved the careful balancing of weakness exploitation, demon fusing, and proper utilization of buffs. Soul Hackers 2 has all of that in spades, along with its own wrinkles and a truly impressive amount of features that let you fuse this demon with a lot of useful tricks. Soul Hackers 2 is obviously not a Persona game, so you shouldn't expect characters to talk at each other for hours on end or focus on an extremely lengthy plot. The story here is serviceable and the characters are likable enough, but it won't blow anyone's socks off. I...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:30 AM
     capes game announcedComing from new developer Spitfire Interactive is Capes, a gritty superhero turn-based game set to release in 2023. Spitfire Interactive formed when the Hands of Fate studio, Defiant Development, dissolved in 2019. Key team members from Defiant Development returned to collaborate on Capes, and they hope to bring a story (where the villains already won) to Steam soon. Capes takes place in a world 15 years after supervillains have taken over, and you play as the new generation of superheroes who must stop the evil regime. Rescue civilians and rebuild hope as you slowly try to return society to the glory that once was. The story is gritty, and the writing experience of the staff definitely lends to this.   "I started my career writing on Freedom Force alongside Ken Levine, so this feels like a return to where my journey began," said Morgan Jaffit, director of Spitfire Interactive. "My team and I want to explore the 'darker side of every coin' and we have the best p...

Gamer Empire Thursday, August 18, 2022 6:37 AM
    

Stands Awakening, a new Roblox game, takes inspiration from the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure anime and features many of the familiar stands from the show. If […]

The post Stands Awakening Tier List (August 2022) – Best Stand appeared first on Gamer Empire. It was written by Tim Stadel Clausen.


Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, August 18, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, August 18, 2022 2:00 PM
     You'll find a complete list of the game's accessible codes in our Bleach Era codes list. Use the codes to get cash for free! The Roblox anime game Bleach Era is based on the popular Japanese anime television series BLEACH. Players choose between the Soul Reaper and Hollow paths to begin their journey through the […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, August 18, 2022 1:00 PM
     Roblox: Boba Simulator offers a fully functional, up-to-date, and reliable codes menu where you can get free upgrades for Boba to help him progress through the game!The goal of Roblox: Boba Simulator is to eat massive amounts of refreshments and then take the available assets once they've been consumed. Boba's available assets include drinks, eggs, […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:00 PM
     Roblox is well-known for its shooters, and Shoot Out is no exception. It's a shooter in the style of a gun game in which you use a variety of weapons. Each time you eliminate one of your nemeses, you will get a new type of gun. Some of these guns have different types of power, […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Thursday, August 18, 2022 11:00 AM
     Here's yet another XP bug that's plaguing Diablo Immortal servers globally. XP is just as good as Gold in grind-heavy ARPG games such as Diablo Immortal. Gaining as much XP as possible in a short period can improve a player's strength and capability just as well as upgrading and buying equipment, thanks to the Paragon […]

Latest Games on Play iDev Games Thursday, August 18, 2022 6:20 AM
     Dodge the bullets! Tap the plane. This game is 100% mobile....

Pivotal Gamers Thursday, August 18, 2022 12:15 PM
     What's up all? MMOBomb is giving all the opportunity to win on Eternal Return. This is what they say. To celebrate the launch of Season 7, Kakao Games and MMOBomb have partnered up to get our users a free Pack with several in-game items for Eternal Return. Each pack is set to include two characters in the form of Rozzi and Sissela, along with an exclusive skin for each. Grab your key now! A ...