Despite recent changes to Xbox Live (or at least its name), April’s Games with Gold are here (whew!). As ever, these games are only “free” if you have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.
[Update: Insomniac moves quick! The 60fps update for Ratchet & Clank on PS5 is live ahead of schedule. Just update your PS4 game to 1.08, and enjoy – there's "no setting to change" in a menu.]
In a move that PS5-owning Ratchet & Clank fans had been calling for, Insomniac Games is going to update 2016's PlayStation 4 title Ratchet & Clank to hit 60 frames per second when played on a PlayStation 5. The free update is planned to go out in April, which, oh shit, is already almost here.
Ratchet & Clank (2016) will be playable in 60 FPS on PS5 after a new update in April! As part of the Play at Home campaign, download the game for free now through 3/31. #RatchetPS4https://t.co/Iw6CMNByFU pic.twitter.com/VEFiW3IMWK
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) March 29, 2021
Asked if there would be any extra DualSense integration, Insomniac simply pointed to the upcoming Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Between the free giveaway for Play At Home 2021 and now this update, it's clear that they're looking to refresh everyone and roll right into the new PS5 game in June.
Activision Blizzard has quietly hired a former member of the Trump administration to be its new chief administrative officer. ...
After spending a year in your own lair working on your own ploys and plans to fend off the outside, surely you'll be a whizz at Evil Genius 2: World Domination. Released today, it's the surprise sequel to 2004's villainous lair-building management game. Once again, we're put into the executive chair of a Bond-esque villain to build a base and team able to execute our dastardly plans while fending off would-be heroes. Except your in-game fortress will be built of concrete and muscle, not Argos boxes.
When it comes to moments that leave you excited, scared, and everything in-between, the Resident Evil series has a plentiful supply. Most all of its games have something that fans can’t help but hold in their memories for all time. Some stand out more than others though, which is why they’re on our list of 10 Resident Evil moments that still give us thrills and chills.
It might be a bit over-stated at this point, but how could this not be included on a list of the best Resident Evil moments?
Publisher Koei Tecmo has proudly announced that the combined shipments of its JRPGs Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout and its sequel, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, have hit one million combined shipments since the titles' respective 2019 and 2020 releases.
Alongside developer Gust, Koei Tecmo revealed the milestone on its official Twitter, accompanied by new artwork of cheerful protagonist Resalin "Ryza" Stout literally jumping for joy. The publisher also announced that both titles will receive a special celebratory DLC skin, to be released at a later date... Are they gonna charge for it? Surely they aren't gonna charge for it...
The Atelier Ryza titles follow the exploits of Resalin, as the young girl and a party of pals embark on high-fantasy adventures. The two games place an emphasis on crafting, combat, and alchemy, and have received praise from both critics and fans for their strong characters and engaging visual design. Both Atelier Ryza releases are available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Doing even the smallest of actions can have a big impact on our environment. While we aren't here for a long time, the time we are here can be shared with ensuring a brighter future for tomorrow. Many gaming companies are taking steps to "go green," and among them is Razer.
Razer is known for its gaming peripherals and laptops but what they also want to be known for is contributing to a greener future. The gaming brand has outlined a 10-year environmental roadmap under the #GoGreenWithRazer banner to realize these conscientious goals.
“Through our #GoGreenWithRazer campaign led by our Sneki Snek mascot, the Razer community has been insanely supportive and passionate,” said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “Awareness of how we impact the environment is incredibly important. Hence, Razer has planned out a sustainability roadmap to continue fighting environmental and climate changes. We’re determined to make the world a better place for all of its citizens to game and live in.”
The PC rendition of Game Pass received a boost last week when it was reported that its revised ports of Platinum Games' Nier Automata and Tango Game Works' The Evil Within were actually improved over the Steam equivalents. It was seemingly good news for PC gamers: two critically acclaimed titles received sub-optimal PC versions, and while limiting improved versions to Game Pass only is problematic, at least it's a step in the right direction... or is it? In our tests, we noted some content improvements on The Evil Within - albeit with a huge caveat attached - while the underlying performance issues do not seem to be any different at all on the Game Pass builds. Nier Automata also new features, but performance issues unresolved since launch remain untouched.
Let's begin with Nier Automata, where the story is relatively simple. It's a game designed to be ran at 60 frames per second, but the original PC version has a broken frame-rate limiter, meaning that frame drops are commonplace throughout the entire experience and a locked 60fps is impossible out of the box. On top of that, anti-aliasing is actually controlled by the ambient occlusion setting, which actually features a bunch of post-processing effects, including (bizarrely) temporal anti-aliasing.
Annual charity speedrunning festival Summer Games Done Quick will return as an online-only event, running from July 4 through 11.
Lil Nas X has been in headlines this week once more after the release of his music video for Montero on Friday night. Following the "outrage" centering on the video's satanic imagery, the singer raised the stakes with a new "Satan Shoes" collaboration. Through all of that, one person decided to elevate Lil Nas X's godlike clap back by making him an actual god with Hades fanart. Even if you aren't a fan of his music, the art is undeniably incredible.
The art was shared by Antonio Demico, a concept artist that works in video games and the creator behind Dragon Stew. When revealing the fanart, he said, "What if Lil Nas X in Montero, but he's a god in Hades?" Don't let your dreams be dreams, because this artist did exactly that, which you can seen below:
What if Lil Nas X in Montero but he's a god in Hades pic.twitter.com/d7bqDJqsWE
— Antonio Demico ⚜ making Hexbound! (@antodemico) March 28, 2021
This Hades take is an incredibly on-the-nose replication of the art style that helped make this game the treasure that it is. It's easy to see Lil Nas X in the game's setting because this makes him a part of the game's setting. While unofficial, it's impressive nonetheless.
Shadowverse: Champion's Battle will appear everywhere, as XSEED picked up the Switch CCG and will release it digitally and physically.
The post Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle Will Head to the Switch This Summer appeared first on Siliconera.
Spring is here, and I’ve been thinking a lot more about my wardrobe—and how sick I am of it. Even though I cleaned out my closet fairly recently, I still counted at least 25 clothing items that I don’t wear regularly anymore. But what should I do with all my tired sweaters and dresses?
Last week, the latest video game adaptation was announced with a Ghost of Tsushima movie from the director of John Wick. While the executive roles were revealed, nothing has been shared yet about potential casting choices. That being said, Jin Sakai's voice actor said he's down to play his character in the Ghost of Tsushima movie, which is perfect. Who better to play Jin than Jin himself?
The actor, Daisuke Tsuji, took to Twitter after fellow voice actor Bryan Dechart (Detroit: Become Human, Cyberpunk 2077) tweeted at him and PlayStation about reprising his role as Jin Sakai. The actor's response? "If I get to play Jin in the live-action Ghost, let it be known that I fully agree to doing butt nudity."
Welp. There you go.
If I get to play Jin in the live action Ghost, let it be known that I fully agree to doing butt nudity. https://t.co/WJBPP9gkgb
The Kingdom Hearts PC versions of games are now all on the Epic Games Store and on sale, and the discounts apply to pre-orders too.
The post Kingdom Hearts PC Games Sale Begins to Celebrate Their Debut appeared first on Siliconera.
If you've been holding off on playing the latest Hitman, this week might be a good opportunity to test the waters. Hitman 3 is getting a free starter pack, which includes two locations and a time-limited trial of Hitman 3's first major locale, Dubai.
The Hitman 3: Free Starter Pack includes the ICA Facility and Hawke's Bay, the tutorial levels from Hitman (2016) and Hitman 2. Dubai, the first location of Hitman 3, will also be available in the starter pack from March 30 through April 5. In a blog post, IO says it will also be releasing more free content to the pack for a limited time in the future.
Hitman 3 launched earlier this year as the conclusion to IO Interactive's rebooted Hitman trilogy. It was fittingly filled with plenty of global intrigue and goofy assassinations, and was quite the send-off for Agent 47.
Though it has had some level transfer troubles on PC, most of the wrinkles seem to have been ironed out between the platforms. It's worth doing so too, because as engaging as Hitman 3 was, the previous two games' levels still stand tall. Locales like Sapienza, Paris, and Mumbai still stick out to me.
Earlier this week, a boat got trapped in the Suez Canal, an important waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. And while this usually would have nothing to do with gaming-oriented content, Redditors took it upon themselves to make some hilarious memes based on the debacle.
From Pokémon to Minecraft to even Flight Simulator, here are some of the best gaming memes we found that make light of the Suez Canal incident.
For a few days last week, the world felt a bit brighter thanks to the work of one boat. After getting caught up in high winds, the Evergreen Marine Corporation's Ever Given wedged itself rather firmly in the Suez Canal, disrupting an estimated 12 per cent of global trade in the process (via The Guardian). Not so funny for the captain or the hundreds of ships waiting in line to get through the canal, perhaps.
Still, it gave many of us a good chuckle, and the boat has at last been freed - opening up the canal and world trade once more. Yet the infamous boat now lives on in digital form, as Microsoft Flight Simulator modders have been hard at work adding it to the game.
Made by FlyBoyRez1 (and inspired by the work of Zepingouin35), the Suez Traffic Jam mod does exactly what it says on the tin... which is plonk a big old boat in the middle of the canal. Traffic will also appear around the boat from both sides, and you'll find some boats parked in the Suez Gulf. Several tug boats will try to free the ship (in vain), and you can also recreate that digger meme thanks to the inclusion of a pair of excavators.
Hazelight Studios is quickly developing quite the reputation for creating amazing couch co-op games. As you can see in each of our reviews, A Way Out and It Takes Two have both thrived, delivering two cooperative experiences unlike any other.
To celebrate that success, we decided to compare the two with multiple different categories, seeing which one’s story, gameplay, and replayability wins out. With that said, it is time to settle which couch co-op game is better: It Takes Two or A Way Out.
A new Xbox wireless headset was released earlier this month, and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive regarding the comfort and audio experience offered. Now, a new limited series has been shown off with a special Xbox Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Xbox wireless headset.
Alex Nunn, senior business and strategy lead over at Xbox, shared our first look at the new headset, saying, "At Xbox, we believe providing choice to our players is critical in delivering quality gaming experiences across all our products and services. We know how important immersive audio is to keep you connected, and being connected is more important now than ever. Whether you are gaming with your friends around the world, listening to your favorite music, talking on a conference call for work, or binging the latest shows, audio plays a vital role in your everyday experiences."
With quite a few headsets already available, Microsoft aims to give players more options with the new Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal wireless headphones specifically made for Xbox. This also marks the first peripheral for the Designed for Xbox Limited Series program that offers premium products for gamers to enjoy.
UPDATE #2 30/3/21 3pm UK: Activision has now acknowledged the issue faced by Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 players on Xbox Series X/S, and said it is working to solve the crashes.
"Activision is aware and is working to fix," a spokesperson for the publisher told Eurogamer this afternoon.
UPDATE #1 30/3/21 9.00am UK: Microsoft has now issued a statement on the ongoing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 issue causing the game to crash on Xbox Series X/S. Players have pointed to publisher Activision's paid upgrade system for the game being at fault - the cause of a similar issue last year for Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War.
The Hitman 3 Free Starter Pack temporarily lets you visit Dubai in addition to Hawke's Bay and The ICA Facility.
The post Hitman 3 Free Starter Pack Temporarily Takes People to Dubai appeared first on Siliconera.
Lidia Sobieska, the Prime Minister of Poland, is now available in Bandai Namco fighter Tekken 7, following several weeks of hype and fan fervor. Already the pugilistic politician is making her impact felt, quite literally, thanks to her mastery of karate, which she has been perfecting since childhood.
Ms. Sobieska's mocap actor, Tatsuya Naka, has released a video showcasing footage taking at some of the martial-arts expert's motion capture sessions. It's a rare sight, as not all Tekken characters go down the mocap route. But it's pretty fascinating to see Naka demonstrate his exceptional skill both in the studio and in his school, before we see some of his strikes and holds juxtaposed with Lidia wrecking heads in the digital world.
Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t get into Monster Hunter Rise. Fans of the kaiju-killing series are legion, and this latest entry, out last week for Nintendo Switch, is arguably the buzziest game in the world right now. But it sure doesn’t make things easy for newcomers.
The second season of Dr. Stone is all about the Stone Wars between Senku’s Kingdom of Science and the Tsukasa Empire. In order to celebrate the season ending, we thought it would be fun to put you to the test and see where exactly you belong.
Do you have the brains to add to the Kingdom of Science’s quest to restore the world they once knew; or, would you rather put your skills toward building a new world in the Tsukasa Empire?
Take this quiz to find out exactly where you belong in the world of Dr. Stone.
(All images credited to TMS Entertainment)
Team Ninja says data from some Ninja Gaiden games may be forever lost
Marvel Cinematic Universe-inspired outfits coming to Marvel's Avengers will exclusively be sold in the game's marketplace, developer Crystal Dynamics has now confirmed.
An earlier Twitter post from the official Marvel's Avengers account was read by some fans as suggesting that they'd be given as free event rewards - something which the developer has now clarified.
"We'll be introducing the Red Room Takeover event this spring!" the account tweeted over the weekend. "Features rewards like animated nameplates, outfits inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a deadly HARM Room hacked by Yelena Belova, and more secrets to decrypt."
Apple Watch Nike Series 6 (40mm) + 6mo Fitness+ | $349 | Best Buy
Apple Watch Nike Series 6 (44mm) + 6mo Fitness+ | $379 | Best Buy
Pokemon Go maker Niantic is working on new hardware that "leverages" its platform, according to a teaser image shared by company CEO John Hanke. ...
The epic fantasy adapts multiple books in Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse
Dabble in esports and meet people you might get close to in the new Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers demo.
The post Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers Demo Debuts appeared first on Siliconera.
