It’s that time of the year where all of your favorite ongoing service games receive Halloween updates and Phasmopohobia’s Halloween-inspired Nightmare update is now live. 

Officially known as Update v0.4.0, the Nightmare update brings a haunted campsite, a new Nightmare difficulty, four new ghosts, a new weather system, and more to the multiplayer game. It also brings a slew of changes and fixes to the Early Access title. 

“We’ve had reports of paranormal activity near an old campsite,” the Phasmophobia Nightmare update page reads. “We need you to investigate as soon as possible to find out the cause of the these ghostly sightings. New paranormal entities have also started to reveal themselves in several haunted locations. Be careful out there, the weather has become a lot more intense recently, and it may hinder your investigations.” 

Atlus has released one more of the trailers showcasing the 200+ demons of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V one by one.

This time around we get to see the gameplay of Seiryu, which has been part of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise since its debut with Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II in 1990. Of course, it’s inspired by one of the four guardians from Chinese lore.

You can watch it in action below.

Microsoft has explained why it created a "Min Spec Mode" for Age of Empires 4.

The PC real-time strategy game, which launches this week, is the first brand-new Age of Empires game in 16 years. It was developed by Microsoft-owned studio World's Edge and Sega-owned studio Relic Entertainment (Company of Heroes, Dawn of War).

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The title will release worldwide within the same month.

The post Lineage W Global Pre-Registration to Begin in November appeared first on Siliconera.

A glitched out corner, textures too-smooth in some places and too-rough in others. Play some distorted audio, and add some film grain. That’s lo-fi horror, baby, and the lo-fi games that fit this brief can prey on the valley between the uncanny and the unknown. It’s no secret that the unknown is the scariest part of any horror media. Well, aside from that clown with extremely sharp and pointy teeth - but that’s a kind of unknown. Like... Who’s their dentist? Where’d they get that axe? You know what... I take it back. I don’t want to know that one. Let’s get back to those lo-fi videogames.

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Special collaboration cafes will be available for attendees to visit as well.

The post HoYo Fest 2021 Will Feature Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact Merchandise appeared first on Siliconera.

Some Pokémon Unite players have been annoyed at a little quirk in the game: you can't see the scoreboard.

For such a competitive game, that may seem like an oversight. However, it's been done on purpose.

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The collaboration will feature unique menu items and merchandise.

The post Sengoku Basara Capcom Cafe Collaboration Announced for November appeared first on Siliconera.

Yesterday, Microsoft re-revealed the Halo Infinite campaign with a new video that gave us our first proper look at what to expect from that portion of the game in over a year.

With all eyes trained on the visuals - and Craig's new beard - the announcement of a few brand new enemies for the Halo universe flew under the radar. Check out the action in the video below:

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Metroid and Tetris may not seem like an obvious match, but the two games are joining forces to celebrate the release of Metroid Dread.

Starting this Friday 29th October, a Metroid Grand Prix will be added to Tetris 99, in which players will be able to earn a special Metroid theme within the game.

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If you’re jonesing for a mind-bending minimalist platformer, then Circa Infinity may be the title for you. While the award-winning, visually eye-catching indie game launched on PC back in 2015, solo developer Kenny Sun has been busy at work trying to bring his understated 2D experience to Xbox platforms and Switch.

Today, we finally got an official release date. That’s right, Circa Infinity is scheduled to launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch on Nov. 5, 2021.

Accompanying today’s release date confirmation is a brand new trailer showcasing the lo-fi platformer in action:

Depending on how you display the helmet, there are three variations for this figure.

The post Megahouse Char Figure Recreates Final Episode of Mobile Suit Gundam appeared first on Siliconera.

Metroid Dread speedrunners have now finished the game in under 90 minutes.

The Metroid series has always been popular with the speedrunning community who regularly find sequence breaks to force their way through the game that little bit quicker.

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Nintendo's pricier Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription is now available, including a selection of N64 classics - though not all are working as intended.

Subscribers to the £35-a-year catalogue have reported a number of general issues, including lag and low frame rates. But a couple of games also feature more specific problems.

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If Halloween is best spent doing scary things with pals, Phasmophobia is one of the best games to play this Halloween. The cooperative game sends us to investigate haunted places, trying to capture evidence of ghosts without getting murdered by them. And now it's even more Halloween-y (well, technically Friday The 13th-y) thanks to a big new early access update, which has added a new map set in a haunted campground, new types of ghost, and new spooky weather. Great, just what I wanted in a game I'm already too scared to play.

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The countdown timer was actually for an announcement of a live stream happening next month.

The post Aquaplus Teaser Website Announces Utawarerumono 20th Anniversary Livestream appeared first on Siliconera.

My Neighbor Totoro is a family favorite. Kids and adults alike love the story of two sisters in the idyllic Japanese countryside with magical creatures. But for some viewers, there’s darkness seething underneath. Totoro is no cuddly critter. He is a killer.

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The Confederate flag has been removed from a recurring GTA character in the series' new remastered trilogy.

As spotted by Kotaku, arms dealer Phil Cassidy no longer has the flag on his t-shirt. Instead it's sporting a skull design.

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The Fortnite 18.30 update has just released today, adding into two new weapons into the game, as well as adding the Salvaged B.R.U.T.E into the game, to be funded via the donation boards across the map.

The news comes via popular Fortnite leaker iFireMonkey on Twitter, who revealed the new weapons with their stats. The Icy Grappler simply has the description: ‘Stick, move, and SLIDE,’ suggesting you’re going to be able to slide around when using the item. Exactly how this will work remains to be seen.

Alongside the new variant of the grappler, Fortnite 18.30 also reintroduced the Combat Pistol into the mix. The in-game description reads: ‘Semi-automatic pistol that benefits greatly from aiming down sights.’

It comes in Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic and Legendary rarities, starting with a damage stat of 23 and going right the way up to 28 damage per shot. Magazine size remains at 15 across all variants, as does the fire rate at 6.75. The reload times is reduced from 1.54 on the Common Variant down to 1.26 on the Legendary.

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko also thinks that the episode could still be a good story as long as it's made properly.

The post Gundam Animator Reveals Infamous Cucuruz Doan Episode Was Completely Outsourced appeared first on Siliconera.

For a good chunk of my initial time with Back 4 Blood I had precisely zero opinions about it. It's a strange game, half of it built on a kind of ultra-nostalgia, especially potent for anyone who spent a single day of the late noughties in the same room as an Xbox 360. The other half - all cards, progression, loot - is quite abruptly modern. The two, at least at first, seem to cancel each other out, turning it into a thing that's just too familiar, too recognisable. I'm shooting zombies in co-op, while looting weapons and grinding the progression system for cards that might help on my next run. Imagine, in the most emotionless voice: OK.

But, actually, thankfully, it's more than that. Scrabbling around in the game's oddly enticing dark for long enough has allowed me to admit I was very much wrong. Back 4 Blood is interesting. It is unfamiliar, in places. It is good! Really good.

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Valve can't keep sales secret. Every year, the big dates leak well in advance, whether whispered by devs or blasted by PayPal newsletters. This year, Valve are apparently content to say them in public where anyone might here. Hey, it's just a sale, why the secrecy? So yup, we now definitely know dates for the Steam Halloween Sale, the Steam Autumn Sale, and the Steam Winter Sale.

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Looking for the best LAPA loadout in Warzone Season 6? Treyarch and Raven Software are sending Cold War out with a bang, adding a series of unusual, interesting weapons in the final seasons. The LAPA SMG is the latest, and one of the most intriguing yet. Several of its barrel attachments alter the LAPA’s damage and fire rate. That variety makes the LAPA a very fun gun to customize and play around with. Of course, there is always a best configuration. Once you’ve had your fun and are ready to sweat, we’re here to help.

The LAPA’s range isn’t great, but up close it has monstrous potential. Its high neck and head multipliers make for a skill-dependant weapon, but in the right hands, with the right build, the LAPA fries. Here’s our build of choice:

As usual, we’re starting off with an Agency Suppressor. Added range and bullet velocity on a suppressor remain nigh-impossible to pass up. As long as you’re using a Cold War weapon, you’ll want this attachment. Things get interesting with the barrel. We’ve gone with the Rifled Barrel, which provides the most consistent damage profile. The LAPA very much relies on chest, neck, and headshots, but the Rifled Barrel helps even out the damage to the stomach and limbs. All of the barrels are frankly pretty close in power though, so try a few and see what feels right.

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With the tidal wave of 80s-inspired nostalgia right now, it’s safe to say that retro is well and truly back in fashion. From TV shows like Stranger Things and Cobra Kai to movies like Drive and Donnie Darko, the eighties seem to give us a bunch of warm, fuzzy feelings inside. With that in mind, we may have discovered a bodacious point-and-click adventure that could scratch that specific, aforementioned itch: Epic Llama‘s Unusual Findings.

Specifically, the title is set to launch on PC (via Steam) later this fall. However, the Argentina-based developer has now announced its Kickstarter stretch goals, which include Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S/X and Playstation 4 and 5 versions of the game.

Accompanying the news is a freshly cut trailer, which you can check out down below:

In the morning, his lawn is covered with poems, which take the form of ribbon and coloured streamers. His neighbor is a poet, so that narrows things down a bit. Inevitably, he goes to complain.

I've been reading Vermilion Sands this past week, a collection of short stories by JG Ballard that are all based in a fictitious desert holiday community - Palm Springs or the scorched armpits of Arizona - at some point in the nebulous future. It's a short book but I'm eking it out. I don't want it to end. I knew I was going to love it - there's Ballard, of course, but it's also hard not feel something for a paperback that comes with its own 3D glasses for viewing the fractal depths of the cover art.

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Phasmophobia really is the gift that keeps on giving. While the game is still in early access, Kinetic Games certainly hasn’t lost any momentum in terms of providing free content updates that help expand its universe even further. A new update has been pushed out for the game just in time for Halloween, and it comes with plenty of new features and some system reworks.

First off, a new medium-sized map called the Maple Lodge Campsite has been added to the rotation, and it comes with more visual detail and higher object density, according to the patch notes. Kinetic Games also states that other locations will also receive more detail and unique objects in the future.

The Nightmare difficulty mode has also been added to the game, which should give seasoned players more of a challenge. Here are the details:

• Ghosts will not reveal one type of evidence
• The ghost will sometimes change its preferred room after moving
• No setup time
• Shortest hunt grace period
• Long hunt duration
• Kills extend the current hunt’s duration
• Sanity pills restore much less sanity
• Fuse box starts off
• Almost no hiding places
• Paranormal interference has damaged some of your monitoring equipment

Finally, new ghost types have been added. They are the Onryo, the Twins, the Obake, and Raiju, which are more likely to spawn during the Halloween event. A weather system has also been implemented, which can make it even harder for players to track down the ghost or determine its type. You can read the full patch notes here.

Phasmophobia is now available on PC.

Today Koei Tecmo announced its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year that will end on March 31, 2022.

We can take a look at the overall results below, alongside those by segment, with the Entertainment Business focusing on video games.

Both the overall results and the video game segment showcases sharp growth both in net sales and operating income compared to the same period last year.

This is a record performance for Koei Tecmo for a first half of the fiscal year.

We also learn that shipments of Samurai Warriors 5 have passed 410,000 units worldwide as of September 30. Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is also performing well, alongside steady repeat sales of games like Nioh 2: Complete Edition.

Atlus released another of its many trailers showcasing the over 200+ demons of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V.

This time around we get to see the gameplay of Okuninushi. Hailing from Japanese folklore, he debuted within the series with Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei in 1990.

You can watch him in action below.

Developed by Bunnyhug and published by Coatsink Games, Moonglow Bay is billed as a chill, slice-of-life fishing sim that’s meant to provide a relaxing gameplay experience for players. It makes use of voxel graphics, evoking a cute and lighthearted vibe. And, of course, there’s an incredibly cozy and relaxing soundtrack to go with it as well.

The soundtrack is composed by Lena Raine, who also worked on the music for other popular indie games like the much-beloved Celeste and Chicory: A Colorful Tale, which released earlier this year. As you might expect, the music completely fits the tone of Moonglow Bay, opting for casual guitar strums and light percussion to go with your extended fishing sessions.

To coincide with the game’s release, the soundtrack is now available for purchase on Bandcamp, and it can also be streamed via Spotify and Apple Music.

The post Lena Raine’s Relaxing Moonglow Bay Soundtrack Now Available for Streaming & Purchase appeared first on Twinfinite.

Tonight’s Fine Art is focused entirely on Turtle Rock’s new Back 4 Blood, the studio’s latest attempt to take the formula they almost perfected with Left 4 Dead and, well, perfect it.

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Fresh off a big crypto scam involving a number of its members only four months ago, Faze Clan announced today that the group is about to become a publicly traded company, meaning fans will soon be able to buy shares. Their initial valuation? Oh, $1 billion.

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This morning, Halo fans were treated to some good news thanks to a Halo Infinite livestream detailing that game’s campaign. On the flip side, 343 Industries also reminded players of its plans to shut down the Xbox 360 online services for a slew of Halo titles, pushing back its original December execution to January. 

343 originally announced plans to do this in December of 2020. The plan is to cease the 360 online services for the following titles: 

There comes a time in every game’s life-cycle when speedrunners crack the code, and a baseline time against which to compete reveals itself. Now that we’re a few weeks removed from the release of Metroid Dread, such a benchmark has crystallized: The game’s fastest players are racing from start to finish in about an…

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Update Monday, October 25: 

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack launches later today. Pricing for the service will cost $49.99 per year for a single subscription, with the family plan set at $79.99. Pricing for those with existing Switch Online subscriptions has not been announced at this time. This upgraded subscription will include all of the Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games below and all of the existing Nintendo Switch Online services previously offered. Nintendo recently announced the upcoming paid Animal Crossing expansion DLC, Happy Home Paradise, will be included with the Online + Expansion Pack service for no additional charge.

Original Story:

You'll soon be able to play a slew of classic Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games on your Nintendo Switch via the platform's online subscription service, the company announced today during its most recent Nintendo Direct livestream. 

Nintendo revealed it will soon offer a new membership plan through Nintendo Online, through which you'll be able to play games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and Starfox 64. The service will allow up to four Switch owners to play games locally or online, the company said.