July 2021

Tarkov Interchange, Norvinsk Economic Zone, 1500 hours. As I made my way to the extraction zone after wading through the remnants of a Swedish furniture store - a venture which had cost me most of my ammunition and the use of my left leg - I spotted a figure scrounging for supplies 300 metres away. Aiming my rifle, I took a shot, the bullet’s echo so deafening that I could barely hear the Scav yelling Russian expletives at me.

This is just a microcosm of the stories to tell about Battlestate Games’ online survival FPS Escape From Tarkov. In a genre that often either fails or doesn’t try to convey any type of legitimate emotional response, raids in Tarkov become these enigmatic tales of the senses. My stories differ from most because I play Escape From Tarkov single-player.

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The PlayStation Console exclusive was originally releasing in August, but has been delayed in order to further polish the game.

The post Kena: Bridge of Spirits Delayed Until September In Order to Polish the Game appeared first on Siliconera.

Former World of Warcraft senior creative director Alex Afrasiabi was fired last summer following an internal investigation, Activision Blizzard has now said.

Afrasiabi's departure had been known, though the details surrounding it - including new and disturbing details of a 2013 BlizzCon hotel room nicknamed the "Cosby suite" - have only now been publicly confirmed following a Kotaku report.

In a statement issued to Kotaku last night, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson revealed an internal investigation into the "Cosby Suite" had taken place in June 2020, following a separate investigation of Afrasiabi. As a result, Afrasiabi was "terminated... for his misconduct in his treatment of other employees".

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It looks like support for the PlayStation 5's SSD expansion slot is finally coming.

Sony has published a new support page on how to add an M.2 SSD to a PS5.

Firmware which supports M.2 SSDs is only available to beta users right now, but will be enabled for everyone in an upcoming system update.

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A queue? I haven't queued to play an MMO since World of Warcraft in 2005. But earlier this week I had to wait half-an-hour to get into Amazon's New World closed beta because more than 300 people were ahead of me at 3pm. I know it's the school summer holiday but still. And that was just one European server - there are many.

I was surprised. I didn't think an MMO could create buzz like this in 2021. I thought battle royales like Fortnite had taken over for good. But there were more than 200,000 concurrent New World players last weekend. Perhaps I was wrong.

You can feel that popularity in the game, too. Queues mean full servers, which means there are lots of people in the game, so towns bustle with life, hunting spots are busy and chat is noisy. New World seems to be teeming with life, and there's an excited feeling because of it - a feeling that this could be the next big thing.

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James Bond's iconic 1963 Aston Martin DB5 is now in Rocket League.

The car will come with the authentic engine audio and a unique set of wheels and decal that can only be equipped with this car.

You can get your hands on it for 1100 credits in the Item Shop for a limited time.

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Ember Lab's action-adventure title Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been delayed once again, with the game now due to release on 21st September.

The developer cited the need to "polish the game across all platforms" as the reason for the delay.

"The team has been working extremely hard and we feel the extra time is critical to ensure the best experience possible," Ember Lab said in a statement on Twitter. "We know many of you are eager to play and we appreciate your patience as the team continues to work on delivering the best version of Kena.

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Developer Ember Labs has announced that its upcoming action-adventure game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, has been delayed to a new September 21 release date.

The news comes via a tweet from the official Ember Labs Twitter account, citing “extra time… to ensure the best experience possible”, as the cause for delay.

The full statement reads:

“We have made the difficult decision to delay the release of Kena until September 21st to polish the game across all platforms. The team has been working extremely hard and we feel the extra time is critical to ensure the best experience possible. We know many of you are eager to play and we appreciate your patience as the team continues to work on delivering the best version of Kena. Thank you for your amazing support!”

Gorgeous forest adventure Kena: Bridge Of Spirits has been delayed again, moving from an August release date into September. This is the second time Kena has been delayed - originally it was supposed to come out in 2020. Alas, as with many games last year, the pandemic made sure that didn't happen. Thankfully, this new delay isn't a huge wait though, and the developers at Ember Labs say they just need more time to polish the game.

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Halo Infinite’s upcoming technical preview got its own preview last night. Developers 343 Industries hosted a stream to show off what this weekend’s test will let people see and do, capping it off with the very first look at a full Halo Infinite multiplayer match. That’s probably what you want to see, yeah? Here’s a peek.

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"By choosing profit over our security, you are literally toying with our lives. We should not have to choose between work and our safety." ...

First quarter net sales reached record levels at Capcom thanks to new releases like Resident Evil Village and bumper digital sales. ...

Players can sit down and have a meal with Lancer through upcoming DLC.

The post Everyday Today’s Menu for Emiya Family to Add Cu Chulainn Through DLC appeared first on Siliconera.

The company attributes this success to Monster Hunter Rise and Resident Evil Village.

The post Capcom Reports Highest First-Quarter Sales of All Time appeared first on Siliconera.

He may not be the brightest bulb, but he's always ready to protect his family.

The post JJBA Narancia Nendoroid Comes With Tiny Formaggio appeared first on Siliconera.

Players can get their own yukata or an Earth Sprite-themed outfit.

The post Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Yukata and Legendary Sprite Dance DLC Arrives appeared first on Siliconera.

Late last year, Sony finally added the ability to install your own SSD in the PS5. Before this, only external drives could be used on the PS5, and these were limited to playing last-gen games. Now, it's easy to add gigabytes or even terabytes of storage for PS5 games in just a few minutes - and this article shows you how.

This explainer is necessary because, unlike Microsoft, Sony isn't making its own official drives in a unique form factor. Instead, standard PC NVMe SSD drives from a wide range of manufacturers will work - as long as the drive is fast enough and physically fits inside the PS5. This should make upgrading your storage cheaper in the long run, but the requirements are a little complicated - so we've prepared this blog to recommend the best SSDs for the PS5. We've also covered the best PS5-compatible heatsinks, dug into the requirements in more detail and answered your questions - all accessible via the quick links below.

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Sony has deployed its first PlayStation 5 system software update for beta testers - including the ability to test M.2 SSD storage expansions, even if it sounds a little fiddly.

The update also adds a number of useful software features, and try a version of 3D Audio for any built-in TV speaker. According to Sony, players can measure the acoustics of their room using the DualSense microphone and choose a setting best suited to their surroundings.

Meanwhile, changes to the PS5 software itself mean beta testers will now be able to see the PS4 and PS5 versions of the same game separately on the Home screen and Game Library, with a game's tile labelled as the appropriate platform.

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It's not every day a mod wins a national writing award, but the quality of the story in Skyrim mod The Forgotten City was enough to see it pick up an Australian Writers' Guild Award back in 2016. The mod was downloaded over 3m times, and it's now taken on a new form, as the mod has been transformed into a standalone game.

The Forgotten City released yesterday on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's been updated with professional voice acting, new gameplay mechanics, a new orchestral score and a significant overhaul of the original script. "If you liked the mod, you're going to love the standalone game," says the Steam description. "We've taken the best elements of the mod, re-written the script, which is now more than twice the length of the original at 80k+ words, and added plenty of exciting new twists, endings, and surprises."

In terms of gameplay, The Forgotten City is a murder mystery game set in a cursed Roman city where "if one person sins, everyone dies". Players must explore, question characters and exploit a time loop in order to solve the mystery. Combat is an option, but apparently this will only get you so far. There are moral dilemmas, multiple endings and opportunities to roleplay - all in a city filled with historically authentic Roman "art, architecture, costumes and customs".

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Fatal Frame’s premise has always tickled me. It’s a survival horror series where you fight off ghosts by taking their picture. It feels like a commentary on paparazzi and celebrities as the spirits gurn and whack away at the lens, but it probably isn’t. It’s been a console series for a while, but this year's E3 saw the announcement of a PC remaster of the Wii U’s Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water. Now we've finally got a release date for it: October 28th.

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Click here to watch embedded media

Reviewed on: PC
Also on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Publisher: Curve Digital
Developer: Neon Giant
Release: July 29, 2021 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC), March 24, 2022 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4)
Rating: Mature

From the iconic works of Philip K. Dick to the seminal table-top RPG by Mike Pondsmith, fans of the cyberpunk genre are familiar with the theme of characters in search of an identity and purpose. The Ascent suffers from a similar identity crisis in its attempts to pull from dungeon-crawling RPGs and twin-stick shooters, but it never ascends to the heights of either genre. This mindlessly fun co-op experience features bombastic gunplay, engaging cybernetic abilities, and a visually impressive world to wreak havoc in.

Sony's first beta program for the PS5 begins today and brings with it a few key changes to this generation's system that are for the better. Including in the first update is the highly requested M.2 SSD slot as well as a few select UX enhancements, different customization options, and even a new Trophy tracker. The beta firmware update is available for a select group only, including PlayStation players from the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. 

The company notes in its latest update that players only used a supported M.2 to expand the PS5's storage. The requirements for that can be found here. For those that may be a little confused on what an M.2 SSD even is, Sony describes it as a device that is "a high-speed solid state drive medium that PS5 beta users can install to upgrade the storage capacity of their PS5 console or PS5 Digital Edition console (separate purchase required). We recommend verifying that you’ve received a beta invitation before purchasing a new M.2 SSD."

There is one thing to note, however, and that is that using the M.2 does have the potential to overheat a PS5. According to the requirement update, “Using an M.2 SSD with your PS5 console requires effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink. You can attach one to your M.2 SSD yourself, either in a single-sided format, or double-sided format.”

Niantic is working to remedy an issue that has caused a number of Pokemon Go players to be hit with false bans. ...

Koei Tecmo said that the Blue Reflection: Second Light worldwide release date will fall in November 2021, a month after the Japanese debut.

The post Blue Reflection: Second Light Release Date Falls in November appeared first on Siliconera.

Sony has also published compatibility requirements for third-party M.2 drives.

The post PS5 SSD M.2 Expansion Support Has Appeared For Beta Testers appeared first on Siliconera.

The Kitaria Fables release date still falls in September 2021, but it will be out on all platforms a day sooner. There's a new trailer too.

The post Kitaria Fables Release Date Bumped Up a Day appeared first on Siliconera.

Players will have the opportunity to engage in new event quests every week with this new update.

The post Monster Hunter Rise Version 3.2.0 to Add Weekly Event Quests appeared first on Siliconera.

Players can obtain unique cosmetics inspired by Leon S. Kennedy, Ada Wong, and Nemesis through the event.

The post Knives Out Resident Evil Collaboration to Feature Leon S. Kennedy appeared first on Siliconera.

CrossCode is an indie RPG from Radical Fish Games and Deck13 Interactive. It was released on PC a few years back before making its way to consoles, and became an instant hit among those who gave it a shot. It takes place in the world of an MMORPG, and you’ll get to solve Zelda-style puzzles and fight enemies in a fast-paced action combat system.

The SNES style graphics are clean and really help to make the game pop, and the developers have just announced that its big DLC, titled A New Home, will be releasing for consoles on Aug. 5. You can check out the trailer down below.

The DLC was released for PC earlier this year, but console players will finally have a chance to check it out for themselves next week. Here are the key features:

• Fresh Content which will entertain players for about 8 – 10 hours
• The biggest dungeon in the history of CrossCode
• New challenging enemies and bossfights
• New music tracks
• And of course: The final chapter of the Raid.

CrossCode is now available on PC and consoles.

The post CrossCode’s A New Home DLC Is Releasing for Consoles in August appeared first on Twinfinite.

Every now and again, a game comes along that simply blows you away.

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Your dreams eating curry in a restaurant filled with Power Rangers merch and memorabilia are now a reality. Behold, the Super Sentai Restaurant.

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If you're on the hunt for a new gaming keyboard, mouse or streaming mic but don't want to pay full whack, you'll be pleased to know there's some great bargains to be had from Razer, Corsair and more.

We've rounded up the latest deals on all the best Razer and Corsair PC gaming accessories, including Digital Foundry's highest rated gaming keyboard as well as budget-friendly mice and more.

There's plenty of savings to snap up on Corsair goodies right now, including over £60 off the solid K60 RGB Pro gaming keyboard with Cherry Viola switches and almost £30 off the mechanical K100 with Cherry MX Speed switches. Budget-friendly wireless gaming mice are also on offer such as the lightweight Katar Pro, which has been reduced down to £29.99 and saving you a handy £15. The wired version is also enjoying a discount of £12.25.

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A free content updating is coming to New Pokémon Snap on 3rd August.

The update will add three new areas to the game and 20 more Pokémon, such as Psyduck and Snorlax.

The new areas appear to be a rainforest, a wilderness and desert canyons. They also have day and night variants.

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Fortnite has confirmed it will host a three-day musical experience starring a "record-breaking superstar" next weekend, on 6th to 8th August.

The news follows various leaks and Epic's own court documentation stating the game is set to host pop star Ariana Grande.

The event, named Rift Tour, looks set to kick off when the game's current countdown clock hits zero next Friday, 6th August at 11.05pm UK time.

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The Ascent teems. Its tiered alien megacity is one of the liveliest cyberpunk settings I've explored, always crawling with people and machines, whether you're massacring mutants in the sewers or gazing out from a boardroom window. Admittedly, it also teems with cliches and callouts to the usual canonical works: William Gibson's phrase "high tech, low life", which flickers on displays throughout like a sorcerer's incantation; Blade Runner's flourescent umbrella handles and melancholy synth score; pirouetting holostrippers from any number of seedy sci-fi saloons; an Oriental faction who worship honour and wield katanas. This is not one of your transgressive, norm-busting punk fictions - even Ruiner, its closest cousin, is a bolt from the blue by comparison. But what The Ascent's world lacks in imagination and bite it almost makes up for in scale and an exhaustive, toymaker's commitment to the fine details.

Destruction AllStars has received a new patch that makes a number of significant changes to the game.

The key change has been fixing so-called "ghost hits", where players feel like they lose vehicle health for no apparent reason. This tends to happen when other players are close by but appear to not make contact.

Developer Lucid Games believes this is caused by latency issues, and has "worked on a new set of parameters between the game and the servers which should help keep everyone in sync a bit better than it had previously".

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One of the reasons I’ve been excited about Carrier Command 2, Microprose's first-person bridge command simulator, is because it looked close to being finished when I first came across it. I wanted to play it, and I didn’t want to wait. And I don’t really need to, because it’s going to be coming out in August.

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Having previewed top-down cyberpunk shooty RPG The Ascent a little while back, I thought it was just all right at the time. But now that I've plugged myself into the mainframe for many hours, I see that it takes time for The Ascent's mechanical heart to get the blood pumping. After it's limbered up, this game is often a great time.

I say "often" because The Ascent can veer from extremely fun to extremely infuriating in a matter of nano-seconds. There's a lot to like here, but the way it's wired means it frequently trips itself up. Remain patient enough to untangle the mess, though, and you're in for a real RGB romp.

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Following today’s reveal, Bandai Namco released a trailer of its upcoming cross-generation JRPG Tales of Arise.

The trailer focuses on the characters and on some of the “adventure” features of the game including camping, cooking, fishing, and more.

You can check it out below alongside a video from the Japanese side of Bandai Namco showing more camping.

The official Pokemon YouTube channel has released a trailer showcasing a free content update that will soon be making its way to New Pokemon Snap. This update will add new three new areas to the game as well as a bunch of extra Pokemon to take photos of.

In the first half of the trailer, we get a montage of all of the greatest moments that are currently in the game, and the Pokemon Company thanks us for all of the memories we’ve created. Then, the trailer transitions to the upcoming content, and we get to see a glimpse of the new courses and Pokemon we can expect to encounter.

One of the new areas is the lush Mightywide River with both day and night cycles with Pokemon such as Tropius, Feraligatr, and Gyarados. Another new area within the nature park takes you through Secret Side Path and shrinks down your NEO-ONE vehicle to become incredibly tiny, so Pokemon like Shroomish seem huge in comparison.

The final new area seems like a canyon-type course called the Barren Badlands, where there are geysers and gas-spewing swamps. We see Pokemon like Swallot here.

We also spotted some additional popular Pokemon in the trailer such as Psyduck, Rockruff, and Snorlax in these new areas. It seems like there will be at least 20 new Pokemon added in total for us to take photographs of.

This content update for New Pokemon Snap will release in just a few days on August 3. It will be available to download for free. New Pokemon Snap is available for the Nintendo Switch right now, and you can read our review of the game right here.

You can watch the free content update trailer in its entirety below; see how many new Pokemon you can spot.