Robert Zemeckis’ animated/live-action hybrid noir murder mystery broke boundaries of filmmaking technology and technique, and 32 years later it’s every bit as fresh, warm, and funny as it ever was. Starring Bob Hoskins as gumshoe PI Eddie Valiant on the trail of a sex scandal involving a Hollywood studio bigwig, Who…
In 1966, Joseph Weizenbaum created Eliza, the first psychotherapy chatbot. Eliza’s programming was relatively simple: Engage the user by detecting keywords in their statements and reflect this information back at them as an open-ended prompt. (A user might say “I’m sad,” to which Eliza could respond, “I’m sorry to…
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has been around for a little while now, but its enormous popularity has been maintained by one very exciting thing: mods.
At this early stage, there are naturally limits on what can be effectively modded without causing players a headache. The Bannerlord launcher has an integrated mod selection and sorting screen, and TaleWorlds have indicated on their forum that they expect modding to get easier and more powerful over time as more elements of the base game are nailed down.
But modders have already made some changes. The near-inevitable overhauls and reskins and unofficial expansions are a long way off, but many generous players are already sharing the fruits of their work to alter Bannerlords the way they think it should be. Here’s a selection of the best ones so far.
With the launch of Intel’s 10th Gen Comet Lake CPUs finally underway, now is a great time to bag yourself a cheap CPU deal, so we’ve listed the best prices for all of today’s [cms-block]s to help you bag yourself a bargain. We’ve got everything here from the best Intel CPU deals to the best AMD Ryzen CPU deals, so whether you’re upgrading your PC or building a new PC from scratch, these are the cheapest CPU deals around right now.
The Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition will show up everywhere this August.
The post Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition Will Release on August 27, 2020 Worldwide appeared first on Siliconera.
An X-wing attacks in Star Wars Battlefront 2. | Image: EA DICE, Motive Studios/Electronic Arts
Sony is bringing some heavy hitters for the long, hot summer
Dunwall is renowned for its striking dystopian aesthetic, blending blinding walls of light with spindly steampunk stilt walkers. But the most memorable part of gorgeous action-assassin hit Dishonored has, for me, always been the boozer where you hang out with your pals between missions: The Hound Pits.
It’s a lovely looking pub, for sure. But coming from Dublin, where subversive relics of independence like The Confession Box are open about the intertwining nature of pub culture and rebellion, my interest is rooted in more than just the aesthetic. It makes sense to me that The Hound Pits is where Corvo and co meet to discuss their next political assassination. So, I reached out to Arkane Studio’s Harvey Smith, co-creative director for Dishonored, and chatted about the reasons why pubs make class revolutionary bases.
The next time you're in The Mood, you can easily throw on the Tetris Effect soundtrack – it's now officially streaming through Bandcamp, Spotify, and YouTube. That's nearly three hours of good vibes.
In a post about the soundtrack's production, Tetris Effect composer Hydelic explained the big idea.
"Mizuguchi-san (our producer) and Ishihara-san (our director and art director) expressed the idea of taking you on a journey through your mind, consciousness, and emotions. 'This is like zen Tetris,' they said. From there, I set the theme for the sound and music as elements that enhance your immersive experience or soothe, calm, and make you relax. Mizuguchi-san also emphasized 'timelessness' – sounds and compositions that are not 'on-trend,' but can be appreciated for many years to come."
I can't hear the Tetris Effect soundtrack without picturing the individual levels, each of which has its own aesthetic – the music and visuals are that inseparable to me. The first level, Deep Sea, went through "over 10 music tracks" until the team arrived at "Connected (Yours Forever)." It was so worth it.
I'm pumped to have ðµ Nothing can stop us. Nothing can stop us. We can touch the sky! ðµ stuck in my head for the rest of the day. "Look Up" isn't my favorite track, but dang does it stick with me.
Fortnite’s upcoming season was set to start June 4. In a post today, Epic Games delayed Season 3 to June 11. This weekend’s season-ending event has also been moved, to next Saturday, June 6.
Sony is back at it again, everyone. There is another huge PS Plus sale going on right now on the PSN Store that features heavy discounts for several PS4 games, such as Persona 5, Yakuza Kiwami, Resident Evil 7, and many more.
Now, you don’t need to be a PS Plus member to get a discount for these titles, but if you do happen to be a subscriber, the discounts are even bigger for you.
The sale comes to an end on June 10, so if you ever wanted to experience the dense yet stylish JRPG that is Persona 5 or dive into the Yakuza series for the first time, now is your chance!
For the entire list of games on sale, you can head on over to the PS Blog post but we’ve highlighted some of the standouts down below for you as well:
Are there any games that stick out to you that are part of the Double Discounts sale? Which ones are you planning to buy? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Get Persona 5 for $8 During the PS Plus Double Discounts Sale appeared first on Twinfinite.
Might this finally be the announcement to prod me into buying a VR headset? Possibly, as a new Star Wars VR experience has been announced, and so far it sounds pretty promising.
Created by Lucasfilm studio ILMxLAB (responsible for other VR titles such as Vader Immortal), Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge is a new action-adventure title arriving later this year. It's being made in collaboration with Oculus Studios, but there are currently no further details on platforms. The story is set sometime between The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, and will let players live their own adventure while encountering "both new and iconic characters from the Star Wars galaxy", with "multiple styles of gameplay and difficulty settings to accommodate a wide variety of players".
Even more G Generation characters, units, stages, and missions are here.
The post SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays Adds More G Generation Characters and Units appeared first on Siliconera.
Half-Life: Alyx is full of a million tiny little touches that make it a splendidly neat VR game. You can wear a bucket on your head and it protects you from Barnacles. There's a fully-functioning piano in a hotel lobby. It's all a bunch of stuff that's easy to miss but makes this world feel authentic.
Valve just released a new Half-Life: Alyx update that comes with an especially important innovation: Booze convincingly sloshes around inside bottles. Visual effects developer Matthew Wilde took to Twitter to show off his pet project, saying that he spent a lot of the past two months at home working on "boozy liquid shader." Here it is in action:
Epic Games has confirmed that the long awaited Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 will begin on Thursday, June 11.
Unlike the seasons that made up Chapter 1 of Fortnite, most of which were ten weeks long, the first two seasons of Chapter 2 have been much longer, featuring multiple weeks of Overtime.
The fact that Chapter 2 Season 3 was being pushed back to June was revealed by Epic a few weeks ago, but the final date is now known, being announced alongside some more information on the upcoming season.
In a post on the Fortnite website, Epic said, “In an effort to get everything ready for Chapter 2 – Season 3, we’re extending Season 2 by one week. The new launch day of Season 3 will be Thursday, June 11.”
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is free on the Epic Games Store for a limited time as part of Epic Games’ weekly free game giveaway promotion.
The package includes Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and all of the accompanying downloadable content such as content expansions and cosmetic items.
The PC version of this collection is now available to download for free on the Epic Games Store until Thursday, June 4 at 11 a.m. ET. It will then be replaced by another “mystery game.”
Epic Games had always announced the next week’s free game or games since the promotion began when the PC launcher released in December 2018, but has recently kept it as a mystery until the time it is unlocked.
It began two weeks ago when the free game turned out to be Grand Theft Auto V and last week with Civilization VI, two high-profile games.
The Epic Games Store is also currently in the middle of its Epic Mega Sale, offering discounts up to 75% on select games alongside a $10 coupon for games or add-ons that cost $14.99 or more. The sale includes Borderlands 3, which is 50% off all editions. The Epic Mega Sale ends on June 11.
The post Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Free on Epic Games Store appeared first on Twinfinite.
African mobile game publisher Carry1st has secured $2.5 million in funding to recruit new talent, bolster its platform technology, and "catalyze mobile gaming" across the continent. ...
Pokemon Sword and Shield's first expansion, Isle of Armor, launches next month, and The Pokemon Company is celebrating by giving away a handful of free Pokemon. Over the next few weeks, you'll be able to claim a Galarian form with its Hidden Ability, starting with Galarian Mr. Mime.
From May 22-28, you can download the free Mr. Mime via Mystery Gift. This Mr. Mime has the Ice Body Ability, which allows it to restore a little health every turn during hail. Alongside the Pokemon, you'll also receive a handful of rare Poke Balls, specifically one Lure Ball, Moon Ball, Heavy Ball, and Dream Ball.
To claim the free gifts, go through the following steps:
Continue Reading at GameSpotDawn and Turtwig are the latest pair to join Pokemon Masters.
The post Dawn and Turtwig Join Pokemon Masters Alongside a New Event appeared first on Siliconera.
If there's one thing even non-fans can appreciate about quirky manga/anime series One Punch Man, it's the wild roster of ridiculous and over-the-top heroes. Case in point: Watchdog Man, revealed as the next DLC character headed to Bandai Namco's One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows.
As noted in this week's edition of Japanese publication Weekly Jump, Watchdog Man will be joining the menagerie of weirdness that makes up the OPM roster. An S-Class hero and the defender of Q-City, Watchdog Man is typified by his deadpan expression and proud commitment to character, acting like a canine at all times and steadfastly refusing to remove his costume, even when sleeping or bathing.
Arriving later in 2020, we can expect a trailer from this howlin' mad hero soon. Watchdog Man will be accompanied by a new story scenario and avatar pack and joins previous DLC fighters Garou, Suiryu, and Lightning Max.
One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows Watchdog Man DLC [Gematsu / Ryokutya2089]
Xbox Series X is scheduled to be released in Holiday 2020, and when it does, Microsoft should offer a service similar to the once prominent Xbox Live Arcade. Combined with the welcome practices and services that Microsoft has made since the release of Xbox One, something like Xbox Live Arcade could be a beneficial way of both promoting and curating the indie game library on Xbox Series X.
Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) launched with Xbox 360 back in November 2005. The service promoted and hosted games that weren't a part of the rest of the Xbox Live Marketplace. Each game on XBLA was priced under $20 USD and had free trials, creating a library of games with a much lower bar for entry. You could try them out prior to deciding whether to buy them and they were much cheaper than the traditional $60 USD retail price of a AAA game. Right from the start, XBLA was used to promote games created by small teams and indie studios that were released for Xbox 360--a market that had traditionally only excelled on PC, not consoles.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition arrives on Switch tomorrow, May 29, but an update for the game is available before it's even launched. Nintendo has rolled out Xenoblade Chronicles' 1.1.1 update. The company has yet to release English patch notes, but the update appears to resolve two fairly specific issues concerning the Arts Palette that could arise when using a Chain Attack.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a remaster of the classic Wii RPG, featuring improved character models, a redesigned UI, and other visual touchups. The game also boasts a new epilogue story called Future Connected, which is available from the outset and takes place a year after the main game. According to game director Tetsuya Takahashi, Future Connected's story is about 10-12 hours long, while those who clear all of its side content can spend upwards of 20 hours with the epilogue.
Included in this week’s definitive edition of Xenoblade Chronicles for the Switch is Future Connected, a short playable epilogue. It ties up a dangling plotline and has a lot of fun doing it.
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
What does capital-H Heaven look like in World of Warcraft?
Today Koei Tecmo released a brand new video about Gust’s upcoming JRPG Fairy Tail focusing on the rich Collector’s Edition.
First of all, it’s worth mentioning that this edition has been confirmed only for Europe (at least among the western regions), so if you’re in North America, you’ll have to either settle with the standard edition or import it.
We get to see the rich content of the edition, which reproduces precisely what is offered in Japan, so much that the special mgazine is in Japanese.
It includes the following:
Do keep in mind that the PC version will include a Steam code instead of the disk.
You can watch it below.
If you want to learn more you should read our interview with producer Keisuke Kikuchi and watch the extensive gameplay video we recorded at a preview event in London.
The KonoSuba dungeon RPG for PS4 and PS Vita is getting an enhanced 'Plus' version for PS4 and Switch.
The post The KonoSuba Dungeon RPG is Getting an Updated ‘Plus’ Version for PS4 and Switch appeared first on Siliconera.
There will be no more delays for Camouflaj’s anticipated VR superhero game, Iron Man VR; the developer has today celebrated the software going gold, confirming it’s locked in for print on CD and upload to digital storefronts.
After years of hard work, we are proud to announce that MARVEL’S IRON MAN VR has officially gone gold! We can’t wait for everyone to #SuitUp when the game releases exclusively for PlayStation VR on July 3. pic.twitter.com/NZnsG12Pgy
— Camouflaj (@Camouflaj) May 28, 2020
The July 3 release date is, of course, a two-month delay from its first delay date; back in January of this year developer Camouflaj explained that it needed more time to polish the game and planned a new May 15 release date.
That was then pushed back –this time by PlayStation itself– further along with The Last of Us Part II as a result of logistical challenges brought about by COVID-19.
PlayStation has offered refunds to affected pre-order customers.
For those not up to speed, Iron Man VR sees players take control of Tony Stark, the popular Marvel superhero. They’ll be able to fly around New York City shooting down bad guys and role-playing the billionaire, playboy, philanthropist in all his glory.
Infants have long known the joys of shaking a bottle to watch its contents slosh and bubble, and now Half-Life: Alyx players can experience that joy too. Valve last night updated the VR explore-o-shooter with fancy new mock bottle fluids, and even as someone whose body wholly rejects VR I am captivated watching players play with bottles of booze. It’s like a real beer, but it’s not even there! Our Katharine hit the bar to shake and spin bottles like a virtual Tom Cruise, and enjoy what is perhaps the closest any of us can get to a quiet drink in the pub. Come watch!
Today British publisher PQube reached out a press release teasing its future plans and celebrating the upcoming anniversary of the visual novel Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa.
First of all, we hear that PQube is about to unveil a brand new IP soon. At the moment we don’t know if it’ll be another project in collaboration with a Japanese developer like Kotodama.
Speaking of Kotodama itself, it will celebrate its first anniversary on May 31.
As a result, later today the Nintendo Switch version will be discounted by 95% on the eShop. This will bring the price down to £0.79/$0.99/€0.99 depending on where you live for two weeks.
If you want to see more about the game, you can check out a few screenshots and the latest trailer.
You can also enjoy our interview with PQube marketing manager Geraint Evans, and the previous trailer showcasing the puzzle gameplay.
Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa is also available for PS4 and PC. You can read a handy description below.
Borderland 3 developer Gearbox has unveiled the next DLC for the game, a "harsh" revenge tale called Bounty of Blood: A Fistful of Redemption. It's a western-themed expansion that pits you against a bloodthirsty gang called the Devil Riders. Bounty of Blood will be released on June 25, and Gearbox also offered a slight taste of what to expect after that. It will feature one of the game's most iconic enemy types.
During the Borderlands Show broadcast, DLC director Matt Cox called it a "harsh story of revenge and redemption" and teased an unseen narrator, who is said to be a new character. In fact, Bounty of Blood stars a new cast of characters, like the reformed brawler, Juno, and your guide, Rose. And no western epic would be complete without a steed, so you'll get to ride a Jet Beast mount.
The main town Vestige, located on the frontier planet Gehenna, will change based on your actions in the DLC, like storefronts reopening and the theater showing lost film reels. NPCs themselves will change based on your choices in side-missions as well.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
Graphic: James Bareham/Polygon
Image: Valve via 
Image: Gearbox Software/2K Games