August 2023

Acer's Nitro lineup of monitors have proven reliable in my estimation, with a unit I bought in 2019 still being used daily in 2023. There's another Nitro model discounted on Amazon US today, the XV271U. This newer Nitro model comes with a 27-inch span, 2560x1440 resolution and 180Hz refresh rate. That, combined with G-Sync/FreeSync support and a solid Fast IPS panel, make for an awesome monitor - especially at $200, following a $100 discount.

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Yet another FFVII Ever Crisis trailer and art dump appeared, and this time the star is Red XIII. The character is a sentient animal that Cloud and the party first encounters in the Shinra building in Professor Hojo's lab. After meeting him, Red XIII joins the team on their journey. The latest announcements show how he looks in game via both official art and a teaser.

First, here's the Red XIII art. The initial image is his character portrait from dialogue segments. The second one shows his in-battle character model. Finally, there's the 3D "chibi" model that shows up during stages.

Introducing Red XIII!

A beast with red fur and a fiery tail. A member of a long-lived species that speaks the human language, he's imprisoned in Professor Hojo's lab as a research specimen. #FF7EC #FF7EverCrisis #FF7 pic.twitter.com/KfClUBoLjz

— FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS_EN｜FF7EC (@FFVII_EC_EN) August 1, 2023

HoYoVerse announced that there will finally be a multi-layered map in Genshin Impact people can consult to check different underground and above ground areas. It noted that people will finally see it in 4.0. However, there's no teaser screenshots of videos hinting at how it might look.

The official announcement offered minimal details about what the Genshin Impact multi-layered map will entail. It only confirmed that Fontaine will be completely covered. It did note that "some existing areas" will feature new maps representing the underground spots. As a reminder, both the Inazuma and Sumeru regions feature locations to explore that are underground. In particular, the desert area in Inazuma features quite a few caverns to explore. It did note that the 4.0 Special Program on August 4, 2023 will talk more about what people can expect from the map update.

There are already many Genshin Impact maps online. HoYoVerse shared an official one people can view outside the game. Some fan-made ones also exist, with them offering more insight when heading to underground areas.

Sony teamed up with AMNIBUS to bring fans new PaRappa the Rapper merchandise. One of those products is a unisex, full-color printed coach jacket. Those who played the Japanese copy of the game on the PlayStation in 1996 will recall the design printed on the coach jacket, as it mirrors the illustration featured on the original disc. It will be available at the price of 9,800 yen ($69) excluding tax, and 10,780 yen ($75) including tax. Orders will be shipped sequentially from mid-November 2023.

Here's a closer look at the jacket.
[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="975784,975785" link="file"]

The illustrations printed on the front and back of the coach jacket are by Rodney Greenblat, the artist credited for the PaRappa the Rapper series. The coach jacket features a lightweight 100% nylon outer fabric. The body and sleeve lining are 100% polyester.

It’s a great time for fighting game fans. Street Fighter 6 released to great fanfare. Mortal Kombat 1 is just around the corner. Now Tekken is getting ready for its next battle with its eighth installment. The release date is still a mystery, but a lucky group of players did get to try out the game in its current state as part of the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test. I was one of those lucky players.

Truthfully, I’ve never been much of a fighting game player. I’ve bounced off of both Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. I didn’t even know SNK’s games existed until Terry got added to Smash Bros. The exception to this is Tekken, which I’ve been a fan of since Tekken 3 back on the PS1. I can’t explain why, but the more methodical style clicks with me better than other franchises, so my excitement for the new entry is high.

As you’d expect, the Closed Network Test was limited on content. There was online matchmaking and a lobby with basic practice mode features, and nothing else. As a result, it’s impossible to state how Tekken 8 feels as a full package at this stage. However, what can be talked about is the new Heat system, the major shake-up to Tekken’s fighting system.

Cast your mind back to April 2020, and you might recall the wholly unexpected announcement that infamous 80s jungle horror Cannibal Holocaust would be getting a video game sequel. The project's seen a tumultuous few years - and several changes in direction - since then, but its developer has now shed a little more light on its behind-the-scenes struggles, and provided an update on the form it'll take when it eventually arrives next year.

Cannibal, as the project was initially known back in 2020, was announced as a collaboration between Italian developer Fantastico Studio and Cannibal Holocaust director Ruggero Deodato. Based on one of Deodato's unpublished screenplays, it's technically the fourth sequel to Cannibal Holocaust - a movie that gained notoriety on its original release for its graphic violence, depictions of sexual assault, and actual animal cruelty, making it something of an unlikely candidate for the video game treatment.

In a new interview with PC Gamer, Fantastico's creative director Andrea Valesini explains its original concept for the game was to adapt Deodato's screenplay into a format resembling a visual novel. As per its initial announcement, the project was due to release by the end of 2020, but after an unexpectedly positive response to Cannibal's reveal, the studio decided "it definitely made sense to invest more money into the game" and opted to tackle the screenplay in a more ambitious form, turning it into something closer to an point-and-click adventure.

In a statement sent to IGN, a spokesperson for Krafton confirmed the studio had layoffs and that 32 employees were impacted.

I love the blocky, saturated aesthetic and minimalist presentation of Thronefall. Fortunately, it’s also really cleverly designed and fun to play, distilling the tower defense strategy formula down into its compelling essentials so you can experience why fans of the genre love it without feeling overwhelmed or wasting…

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I sat down to watch the last three episodes of The Witcher season three with an open mind. Though I, like others, have been frustrated with the series’ pacing and direction as of late, I saw shining moments in both character development and action in the latest season, and was hopeful the series would stick the…

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When the first part of The Witcher season three’s final season premiered on Netflix to a significant drop in viewership, it felt all but inevitable that the internet would plunge into insufferable online discourse over the once-promising fantasy book adaptation. In what can only be described as the real-life version…

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Pokémon Trading Card Game releases its latest expansion, Scarlet & Violet – Obsidian Flames, next week. With Charizard serving as the figurehead Pokémon for this expansion, it's sure to be a popular release given that particular Pocket Monster's history with the TCG. 

Yostar announced a real-world event today to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the Japanese release of Azur Lane, a shoot-em-up mobile game featuring historic naval ships personified as anime girls. The celebration event will take place on September 9-10, 2023 at the Belle Salle event venue (B1-2F) in Akihabara in Tokyo, Japan.

A special website for the 6th anniversary just been opened on August 2, 2023. Yostar plans to reveal more information about the event on this website and on its official social media accounts in the near future.

Other various events celebrating Azur Lane’s anniversary are also scheduled to be held in Akihabara this September. More information is to be revealed at a later date.

Additionally, a fan art campaign commemorating the anniversary has begun. The theme of the campaign is “fan works that celebrate the 6th anniversary of Azur Lane,” and “fan works that convey love for Azur Lane.” Furthermore, all art mediums are eligible for entry, not just illustrations. Fan art for the campaign is able to be submitted until September 3, 2023.

[caption id="attachment_975857" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Yostar[/caption]

To submit an entry, follow these steps:

HoYoVerse offered insight into how Welt Yang’s design for both Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail developed. The company’s Art Collection Archives showed how his concept went through three designs before finally landing on the one we see in games today. That last one also showed the touch of grey in his hair.

In Honkai Impact 3rd, Welt Yang appeared in the manga and visual novel before becoming a main character in Honkai: Star Rail. In the new RPG, he’s a five-star Imaginary character who follows the Nihility Path and is a founding Astral Express member. He's also always available via the in-game banners.

With the three preliminary designs, certain themes were emphasized. They all share a simplistic black, white, and grey color scheme. All of them also look a bit formal. He’s wearing a jacket in most of them as well.
[gallery size="full" ids="975863,975864,975865" link="file"]

After that, HoYoVerse shared the final design used for the character in both games. This is his final design, which features a formal "suit," as seen in some of the preceding concepts. There's also a scarf in the final look, which showed up in a prototype.

To compare, here's the art from HoYoVerse compared to the Honkai: Star Rail official design.
[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="975867,975866" link="file"]

The next Summer banner coming to Fire Emblem Heroes will include several characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Genealogy of War dressed up and ready for tea. The banner arrives during the game's Summer Celebration, which brings login bonuses, events, and banner reruns.

The new units include Lysithea: Tea Sweetener as a colorless tome user. Ferdinand: Highborn Sipper and Tailtiu: Teatime Mingler both use green Tomes. Sigurd: Proper Pourer will appear and use a blue tome. Finally, Ayra: Together in Tea who wields a red sword and is a duo unit fighting alongside Three Houses' Mercedes. Most of them will be included in the "Invitation to Tea" summoning banner, available August 8, 2023 through September 9, 2023. However, Tailtiu will also be available to earn as part of the Tempest Trials+ event running alongside the banner.

You can watch the full breakdown in the Feh channel update below. The new characters are introduced at the 5:45 mark.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdv6uKunKqY[/embed]

The Summer Celebration begins August 2, 2023 and offers two tracks of login rewards, new quests for a variety of modes, and several EXP multiplier events. There will also be a revival of seven different Grand Hero Battles, with associated quests that could result in free five-star Grand Hero characters. There will also be a version update on August 7, 2023, which will bring five new arena maps, add two new factions for the Aether Raids mode, and strengthen Legendary Seliph and Mythic Freyja.

Striking Distance Studios, the developer behind last year's sci-fi horror The Callisto Protocol, has laid off 32 employees amid efforts to "realign the studio's priorities".

In a statement provided to IGN, the developer wrote, "Striking Distance Studios and [publisher] Krafton have implemented strategic changes that realign the studio's priorities to better position its current and future projects for success. Unfortunately, these changes have impacted 32 employees. Honouring the invaluable contributions of each departing team member with material support in the form of outplacement services and meaningful severance packages is our top priority during this difficult moment."

As reported by VGC, a number of affected employees began publically discussing the layoffs on social media prior to Striking Distance's official announcement. These included associate level designer Thomas Catalano, VFX artist Matt Christopherson, associate producer Nora Falcon, level design assistant Justin Fields, production coordinator Sebastian Marlow, and senior environment artist Matthew Smith.

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Streaming megasite Twitch has updated its community guidelines, and now prohibits streamers from promoting or being sponsored by Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin gambling sites. This new ban could impact many CS:GO streamers who have lucrative deals with these controversial websites.

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Last time, you overwhelmingly decided that going on the roof is better than one in the chamber, you little rapscallions. You're going to get in so much trouble when someone finds out! This week, I have death on my mind ahead of the much-belated scattering of my dad's ashes, so let's talk about death. 'The long sleep,' some say. 'Making the little flowers grow,' Lee Hazelwood will tell you. 'Big D,' I think is what several anonymous e-mails I've received were referring to. Let's compare several very different afterdeaths. What's better: in-game memorials to players, or Dark Souls bonewheels?

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Naoki Yoshida, Final Fantasy 14's producer and director, has repeatedly described the MMORPG as a theme park for the series, with its wealth of distractions and references to multiple games.

If that's the case, then the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest event is the real-life theme park: full of activities, but plagued by queue times.

This was the first in-person Fan Fest event since 2019's event in Japan, and will be followed by similar events in London in October and Tokyo next year. Fittingly this Fan Fest was hosted in Las Vegas, the theme park of America. Thousands of fans wandered the freezing, air-conditioned temperatures of the Las Vegas Convention Centre away from the sweltering 45-degree desert heat outside, like a real-life version of in-game casino The Gold Saucer.

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Treasure's classic shoot-em-up Radiant Silvergun is coming soon to Steam, the first time it's been available on PC.

Originally released in 1998 on the Sega Saturn and in arcades in Japan, it was later released on the Xbox 360 in 2011 and last year the Nintendo Switch with local co-op play and online leaderboards, as well as updated graphics.

Judging by the trailer on Steam (the same as the below Switch trailer), it's this version that will soon be released - though the exact release date is unknown.

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Nintendo has had a record quarter, largely thanks to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom which has sold 18.51m units as of 30th June.

That is more than half of Breath of the Wild's sales thus far, with the Tears of the Kingdom predecessor now sitting at 30.65m copies sold.

Nintendo shared these latest figures as part of its Quarterly Results. Here, the company stated its most recent Zelda release constituted "approximately half" of the first party software sold this fiscal year.

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The next patch for Diablo 4 will arrive next week and bring buffs for the vilified Sorcerer and Barbarian classes.

In last week's fireside chat with the developers, Blizzard promised improved "effectiveness and fun" for these two classes - now we know exactly how in the latest patch notes for 1.1.1.

For Sorcerers, the intention was to improve late-game survivability and move away from "kiss-curse" effects where players gain power but lose it elsewhere. For Barbarians, the flow of combat will be sped up by increasing Fury generation and the power of Unique items in the late-game.

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Return Of The Obra Dinn is, quite rightly, one of the greatest video games of all time. It's certainly one of my personal favourites, and as this year's RPS 100 has proven, it's also greatly beloved by the rest of the RPS Treehouse. A brilliantly conceived murder mystery puzzle box (boat?) that not only has you working out whodunnit, but howdunnit, Obra Dinn is one of those detective games that really thrusts you into the thick of its deduction process. As you set about working out the identities and causes of death for each of the 60 souls onboard, it places you firmly in front of the ship's wheel before giving you free rein to steer its hull of supernatural horrors into whatever port of judgment you deem fit.

There are no truly wrong answers in Obra Dinn, but due to the nature of how you go about solving it, it's also one of those games I can't play too often without feeling like I know all the answers already. It's only now, five years later, that I feel like I could probably go back to Lucas Pope's nautical masterpiece and marvel at it afresh on a second playthrough, but there's one particular set of crew unmaskings that even its time-travelling stopwatch can't erase from my memory banks. Spoilers to follow obviously, but if you know, you know. I'm talking about the shoe and hammock revelation.

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Striking Distance, the studio behind last year’s alien horror stomp ‘em up The Callisto Protocol, have suffered layoffs affecting 32 employees in what their publisher calls an effort to “realign the studio’s priorities to better position its current and future projects.”

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Megahobby announced that the Persona 5 Royal Makoto Niijima Lucrea figure will go back on sale. The figure costs 18,480 JPY (or about $129), and it is expected to come out on November 2023 in Japan. Pre-orders for the figure open on August 4, 2023 from the Premium Bandai online store.

While the figure is static, it also includes several parts small parts that can be changed to slightly alter the pose. These include several hand parts, Makoto’s brass knuckles, and a dumbbell. Furthermore, the figure includes an additional head part without Makoto’s Phantom Thieves mask on.

You can take a better look at the Persona 5 Royal Makoto Niijima Lucrea figure in the gallery below.

[gallery columns="5" size="medium" link="file" ids="975930,975931,975932,975933,975934"]

This particular figure of Makoto was originally announced back in February 2021. It is part of Megahobby’s Lucrea line, which also offers Persona 5 Royal figures of other characters, like the figures of Joker and Crow in his Loki variant.

Makoto Niijima is set to reappear in the upcoming strategy RPG Persona 5 Tactica, which is coming out on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC on November 17, 2023.

Jordi “Kwebbelkop” Van Den Bussche, a massive gaming YouTuber with over 15 million subscribers on the platform, has been working for some time to create his own AI replacement, modeled to look, sound, and act like the creator himself. As he told Wired in a recent interview, he has plenty of reasons for wanting an AI…

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If fans could pick only one aspect that defines One Piece, most would pick its cast of characters. Running the gamut of quirks and motivations, they fill out the sprawling world made throughout the series and keep viewers coming back again and again to see how they’ll bounce off each other. Of the hundreds of pirates, marines, and wildcards found throughout the epic franchise though, some stand out as superior, and these are our picks for the top 30 best One Piece characters.

Last week, Second Dinner announced their first officially sanctioned tournament for Marvel Snap, the popular digital card game that released late last year. Named Conquerors, this was meant to be a tournament that brought together all of the game’s most popular content creators and see who could win the most number of Infinity Conquest runs in a specified period of time.

There’s no prize money for the tournament; all creators were given an appearance fee, and this was meant to showcase Conquest mode itself to promote it. At the time of writing, the tournament is still underway, and it’s been a bit of a mess so far. Let’s go over all the missteps.

It’s been a while since Second Dinner last sent us a development roadmap, detailing all of the new bells and whistles they were planning on adding to Marvel Snap. Most of the features have since been added to the game, and a new roadmap update gives us an idea of what else is to come in the future.

You can check out the roadmap for yourself down below:

Those who enjoyed the chaotic adventures of Roblox’s Slide House Tumble will undoubtedly love Slide Down a Hill, the latest destructive game that continues to rise in popularity. Like other installments, you’ll find yourself on a long track, and the only way across it is through a vehicle of your choice. But if you want to start your adventure with a few goodies, you’ll want to know all of the available codes for Slide a Hill.

All Available Slide Down a Hill Codes

Currently, Slide Down the Hill has one available code to use:

No matter what alignment you choose, Dungeons & Dragons is almost always going to be a chaotic game. When you sit too many like-minded individuals at a table for a few hours at a time, there’s bound to be some sort of mayhem that wasn’t in the session notes. Baldur’s Gate 3 is nearing its official release on PC and PS5, but as the date nears, I find myself wondering if the digital rendition of D&D is going to hold up to my personal level of chaos, or if I’m gonna have to begrudgingly adapt to Larian’s house rules.

As excited as I am, there’s a couple of reasons that I’m somewhat skeptical of the way the game’s gonna play. When it comes to D&D, there’s a certain amount of flexibility that comes to be expected among players, regarding not only their actions during their turn, but their interactions with the world around them. After all, players are solely using their imagination to create this world. On top of that, interacting with NPCs can go any direction imaginable depending on the DM for your real campaign, so how will that be reflected with pre-recorded voice lines in Baldur’s Gate?

The Expanse: A Telltale Series on PC

After I rolled credits on the first three episodes of The Expanse: A Telltale series, it hit me that this isn’t the same kind of experience Telltale Games was once known for.

To be sure, all of the usual elements are there. The episodes had choices that impacted the outcome of a longform narrative, and brief gameplay segments broke up the dialogue dumps to keep the experience breezy. There were even some scant moments where it was unclear what the best course of action would be, and I had to step away in order to weigh the consequences of what I could do.

The hype is real for Luffy’s Gear 5 transformation that’s just been teased via the One Piece Official Youtube Channel. Dubbed as being the peak of Luffy and the most powerful ability in the world, fans are ready to see the official unveiling on August 6, 2023. In the meantime, artists have bestowed the fans with a plethora of fantastic desktop wallpapers to satisfy Luffy fans for the time being. So get ready to pick your favorite from these Top 10 Best Luffy Gear 5 Wallpapers.

MMORPGs are experiencing a renaissance of sorts. Many have adopted some version of free-to-play, which certainly helps entice players to come in and at least try the game. Given the massive success of MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft, MMORPGs aren’t going anywhere, so let’s take a look at the most popular titles, ranked by their total daily active users.

Note: It’s irregular for companies to publish hard numbers on active daily users for MMORPGs nowadays. Therefore, this list’s rankings are based on data from several different sources, including Steam Charts, online censuses, past population reports, as well as population trackers. In the end, we do have to speculate a little to determine a ballpark for the most popular MMORPGs.