May 2022

Microsoft decides to "pivot away" from Xbox Game Pass streaming box, for now

1 year 11 months ago

Microsoft will take longer to launch its planned Xbox cloud streaming box, and said it has decided to "pivot away" from the device's current iteration.

While the device, codenamed Keystone, has never formally been shown, earlier leaks pointed to a mini box similar to a shrunk down Xbox Series S, which acted as a hub for Ethernet, USB and HDMI ports.

Xbox's plan - which still seems to be in place, albeit no longer in the immediate future - is to launch Keystone as a small gadget capable of streaming Xbox Game Pass titles to any monitor or TV screen with no extra console hardware required.

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Author
Tom Phillips

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Here's a fresh look at Dragon Quest Treasures

1 year 11 months ago

A teaser trailer for a new Dragon Quest game has been released, with more information due next month.

Dragon Quest Treasures doesn't yet have an announced platform or release date, but Erik and Mia from Dragon Quest 11 will be the lead characters.

The trailer promises "two wide-eyed young heroes", "a new world to discover", and "one tremendous treasure hunt". Check it out below.

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Author
Ed Nightingale

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Mafia 3 studio hit by fresh layoffs

1 year 11 months ago

Another round of layoffs has hit embattled Mafia 3 studio Hangar 13, with around 50 people affected.

It follows an earlier round of job losses last November, when 200 positions were at risk, and the departure of the studio's head Haden Blackman earlier this month.

These latest job losses will affect Hangar 13's main location in California, Kotaku reported. Staff were informed remotely by Hangar 13's new boss Nick Baynes, who ran the company's Brighton location before succeeding Blackman as overall company head.

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Author
Tom Phillips

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Guilty Gear Strive Necessary Discrepancy Soundtrack Released

1 year 11 months ago

Guilty Gear Strive soundtrack including Testament theme song is available on Spotify and Steam

The original soundtrack for Guilty Gear Strive is now available worldwide on multiple digital platforms, including Spotify, iTunes Store, and YouTube Music. Guilty Gear Strive Necessary Discrepancy is also available on Steam, where Arc System Works sells each of the two discs separately. The CD album containing the song's lyrics has also appeared in more physical stores.

Arc System Works first revealed the soundtrack named after Ramlethal Valentine's theme song in March 2022 in Japan. The company announced that the soundtrack would include the theme songs of all Season 1 DLC characters. It has since updated the tracklist to include "Like a Weed, Naturally, as a Matter of Course," the theme song of Testament. The season's final character showed up later than the soundtrack announcement. The revised tracklist also confirmed that "Rock and Roll, Rock Hard Maniac" will become the theme song for the upcoming Season 2.

Author
Kite Stenbuck

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Pokemon DP Sound Library Will Shut Down at the End of May 2022

1 year 11 months ago

Pokemon DP Sound Library

The Pokemon DP Sound Library will no longer be available after May 2022. The Pokemon Company has announced that it will shut the website down on May 31, 2022. [Thanks, 4Gamer.]

The Pokemon Company initially launched the DP Sound Library in Japan on December 24, 2021. It then brought access to the West on February 2, 2022. The website lets people download Pokemon Diamond and Pearl's background music and sound effects. A total of 149 tracks are available in the library. The company also compiled the whole soundtrack into a single video on YouTube.

After the site's shutdown, formal downloads of the background music and sound effects will no longer be available. However, The Pokemon Company will still allow people who have downloaded the files to use them in accordance with the guidelines. It allows the usage of audio files in physical events and parties, as well as on social media. While the company generally only allows non-profit publications, it makes an exception for those with educational purposes.

Author
Kite Stenbuck

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New Sega Project to be Announced Soon Through Livestream

1 year 11 months ago

Sega has plans to announce a new project through a livestream. The livestream will be held on June 3, 2022, at 8pm JST/4am PT/7am ET/1pm CEST. Viewers can watch the announcement of the new Sega project on NicoNico, YouTube, and Twitter Periscope. [Thanks, Gamer!]

Executive Producer at Sega Hiroyuki Miyazaki and Creative Producer at Sega Yosuke Okunari will appear during the program. Miyazaki has worked on several Sonic-related projects, which have included Sonic and the Black Knight and Sonic Unleashed. Okunari's credits include work on several titles from the Sega Ages collection and Sonic Adventure.

There is no hint as to what could possibly be revealed during the project or what it could potentially be related to. The only currently available information is that this is a new project that Sega will announce through the scheduled livestream. It will be available in Japanese.

This is not the first time that Sega has announced a title through a livestream. Sin Chronicle, a mobile exclusive title, was one such title. It was revealed through the Sega Tokyo Game Show 2021 livestream, which included information about the game, along with its unique story-focused gameplay systems.

The Sega livestream where the new project will be announced will be held on June 3, 2022.

Author
Kazuma Hashimoto

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Kao the Kangaroo Review

1 year 11 months ago

Kao the Kangaroo reminded me why I fell in love with 3D platformers back in the N64 days. While I missed the Dreamcast console-exclusive original back in the day, it surprised me how familiar this reboot of the 22-year-old series felt, though the revived Kao doesn’t exactly try hiding how it’s looked to other modern platformers to create a highly derivative comfort-food experience. It’s a lot of fun, colorful, and certainly rather nostalgic; just don’t come in expecting a Crash Bandicoot 4-level challenge.

Stories of heroes rescuing loved ones against the odds is nothing new in this genre, so suffice it to say that Kao’s not breaking from tradition here. Dialogue could’ve been stronger, too; there’s good humor to it, but that’s sometimes weakened by outdated pop-culture references. Kao’s mom referencing “taking an arrow to the knee” is hardly topical, and the younger crowd a game like this is aimed at probably won’t recognise it. Still, there’s a pleasant cast joining our young hero like his wise teacher, Walt, whose more grounded nature keeps scenes entertaining by acting as an effective straight man for Kao.

Author
Tom Marks

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Mario Strikers Battle League Preview: Will the Third Mario Soccer Game Be Enough for the Hat Trick?

1 year 11 months ago

Since its premiere on the GameCube in 2005, Mario Strikers has been a favorite of many Mario sports fans, thanks in large part to its non-stop action. Its successful formula was improved in Mario Strikers Charged just two years later on the Wii. And then…nothing. It's now been 15 years since the last time we got Mario and his friends on the field for a friendly (or not-so-friendly) soccer match. My demo session left me intrigued by the updates and excited to take it for a spin myself, but in the back of my head, I had the looming question: Is Mario Strikers Battle League playing it too safe?

I recently watched 45 minutes of Mario Strikers Battle League ahead of next month's release, played by members of the Nintendo Treehouse. The session showed us two offline modes: Quick battles and Cup battles. The latter features multiple double elimination tournaments of increasing difficulty. Mario Strikers Battle League will also support up to 8 players offline versus on one console and four-player co-op in the offline cup battles.

For those wondering about what it offers beyond the offline content, we also got to check out the online Striker club mode. Strikers club is Battle Leagues online mode where players can create or join football clubs and compete against others in seasons to earn rewards and customizations. Matches played online will earn or lose your club points and place you in various tiers that will determine your prizes at the end of each season.

Author
Jada Griffin

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The Art of Horizon Forbidden West Revealed By Dark Horse Books

1 year 11 months ago

Dark Horse Books is adding another major franchise to its ever-growing library of video game art books. This time, Horizon Forbidden West is the subject of a lavish hardcover book that gives fans a much closer look behind the scenes.

First off, check out the stunning cover to The Art of Horizon Forbidden West below:

Image%20Credit%3A%20Dark%20Horse

Like all of Dark Horse's past art books, The Art of Horizon Forbidden West features a healthy mix of concept art and interviews with the development team at Guerrilla Games. In total, the book clocks in at 200 pages.

The Art of Horizon Forbidden West is priced at $49.99. The book is scheduled to debut online and in bookstores on Tuesday, October 18 and in comic shops on Wednesday, October 19. Based on Dark Horse's past releases, there may also be a deluxe edition version of the hardcover, but the publisher has yet to announce one.

Previous Dark Horse art books include The Art of Halo Infinite, The Art of Deathloop and The Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

Author
Jesse Schedeen

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Drainus isn't quite special, but sure is swish

1 year 11 months ago

The word that comes to mind is "slick". In a genre defined by busy screens and showy light spectacles, Drainus does well to distinguish itself with such excellent animation. The enemies, and particularly the way they spill from levels like the battleship one, demonstrate some of the best sprite work I've seen for ages.

It's more than just stylish, too. As I've mentioned before, I'm bad enough at scrolling shooters, and outright averse to bullet hell, to make me less than an authority on which are the best. But Drainus held my attention for long enough that you should definitely give it a chance.

I'm not going to do a pun about the name. I'm not. I'm definitely not.

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Author
Sin Vega

I've bought Lost Judgment with no intention of playing it

1 year 11 months ago

A while back I finished Yakuza: Like A Dragon and felt a little bit lost. You know the feeling, right? When you snap shut a piece of fiction you’ve been reading for days, or months even, it can be difficult severing those relationships you’ve built with its characters. Unless there’s a direct sequel, you must pull your pants up and shelve those emotions and move on.

Not that I struggle with letting go of characters and stories particularly, but my brain makes an exception for the Yakuza games. More specifically, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's games. I’ve reached a point where I’m ordering Lost Judgment with no intention of playing it for months - maybe even a year? It’s all a ploy to hang onto RGG’s characters and worlds for as long as I can; a sort of buffer to keep the unease at bay. Having nowhere to turn to next isn’t an option.

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Author
Ed Thorn

PlayStation State of Play set for 2nd June

1 year 11 months ago

PlayStation will host its next State of Play on 2nd June at 11pm BST.

It will contain 30 minutes of announcements and updates, says the PlayStation Blog, and will be streamed on YouTube and Twitch.

"We'll have some exciting reveals from our third-party partners, plus a sneak peek at several games in development for PlayStation VR2," says Sony.

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Author
Ed Nightingale

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Pokémon Go details new season, unveils first new character in two years

1 year 11 months ago

Pokémon Go has detailed its next in-game season, which will take the compulsive creature-catching app through the summer months.

Beginning on 1st June and ending on 1st September, the perhaps unimaginatively named Season of Go will be heavily punctuated by the game's key summer event: Go Fest.

But, happily, there's also more going on - including the recently-confirmed arrival of Pokémon's mysterious extra-dimensional Ultra Beasts. Today, we got our first look at the jellyfish-like Nihilego popping up - appropriately via a wormhole.

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Author
Tom Phillips

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The Video Game City Week: the Horseback Statue in Disco Elysium is a reminder of protest

1 year 11 months ago

Welcome back to The Video Game City Week. Next stop: statues.

The Horseback Monument

Statues are important. With egg still drying on the bronzed face of Margaret Thatcher’s newly unveiled Grantham statue (too controversial for its intended spot in Parliament Square), it’d be hard to argue otherwise. If you want to learn about a city, just look at its monuments — they mark the past, freezing idealised moments in time. But just as importantly, they point to the future — a figure’s raised sword directing our eyes towards a desired horizon. For as keen as London’s National Gallery is to teach us about Rembrandt and Van Gogh, it’s really the 150 foot tall column, flanked by lions, outside that most aptly captures our continued Imperial ambitions and fractured Nationalist psyche.

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Author
Ewan Wilson

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How to Craft V Rising Explosives

1 year 11 months ago

V Rising is a survival-based Vampire game that requires you to fight against several bosses to progress. From a wide range of weapons to character abilities, the game offers countless ways to combat your enemies. Amid numerous options, many players prefer explosives for V Rising battles. These explosives are commonly used during PvP clan battles to invade an opponent’s castle. Besides this, players can also use them for mining resources such as Iron by planting them on the stones. This guide provides the complete breakdown of steps required to craft explosives in V Rising.

How to Craft Explosives in V Rising

These are the steps to make explosives in V Rising:

  1. Beat Clive the Firestarter in V Rising.

    The first step towards making explosives in V Rising is defeating a level 30 boss better known as Clive the Firestarter. He’s one of the V Blood Carrier bosses in V Rising who is pretty hard to defeat. Hence, make sure to gear up with the top-tier weapons before facing him.

Author
Tarun Sayal

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Is There a Valorant TV Show? Everything to Know About Riot Games’ Next streaming Series

1 year 11 months ago

It’s taken Riot Games a while to deliver more backstory and context to Valorant‘s mysterious world and Agents. Slowly but surely, though, trailers and various lore tidbits both in and out of the game have been ramping up, and following the publisher’s incredible Arcane Netflix series, it comes as no surprise to hear fans call for a full animated production. But is Riot making a Valorant TV Show? Here’s everything we know so far.

Is Riot Making a Netflix Series?

Since the game’s 2020 launch, Valorant has received a number of compelling cinematic trailers. Perhaps the most notable of which was ‘Duality,’ which for the first time properly showcased the conflict between two worlds from different dimensions. Ever since then, lore-hungry fans have been desperate for more similar content, something which prompted the development team to address the question in a recent ‘Ask Valorant’ blog post.

While the article states that nothing is yet in the works in terms of a Valorant TV show, Valorant’s creative director, David Nottingham, certainly left the door open to it. He explained that the team has always intended to “create an expansive universe with depth of characters to support any potential future experiences that we believe players would want, including premium entertainment.

Author
Alex Gibson

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Every V Rising Waygate Location

1 year 11 months ago

V Rising is the latest vampire survival game from Stunlock Studios that features a massive map based on the world of Vardoran. However, travelling the vast regions of Vardoran isn’t a viable option as it will be a fairly time-consuming process to move from one point to another. Taking this into account, the game developers have incorporated a number of fast travel methods in V Rising to bring down your travel times. Waygates are considered to be one of the effective ways to fast travel in V Rising. Therefore. we’ll look at every Waygate location in the V Rising.

Waygate Locations in V Rising

Before moving forward, it’s worth noting that using V Rising Waygate has a huge drawback. It doesn’t allow you to teleport while carrying any resources in the inventory. Therefore, if your ultimate goal is to farm resources in V Rising, we advise you to get a horse.

Author
Tarun Sayal

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PlayStation Announces Next State of Play Broadcast for Next Week

1 year 11 months ago

Sony has today announced that it’s next State of Play livestream will take place next week on Thursday June, 2 and will provide nearly 30 minutes of announcements and updates of upcoming PlayStation titles.

The news comes via PlayStation Blog, which details that the livestream will include reveals from Sony’s third-party partners, and will also showcase ‘several games in development for PlayStation VR2,’ the upcoming virtual reality headset that’ll work as a peripheral for the PS5 and is set to release sometime this year.

Fans can tune into the announcement over on Twitch or on YouTube at 3pm PT/ 6pm ET/ 11pm BST. Exactly what games will be included in the livestream outside of those for PlayStation VR2 remains to be seen.

Author
Chris Jecks

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Is Diablo Immortal Coming to PS4 & PS5? Answered

1 year 11 months ago

While fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Diablo 4, Activision Blizzard is bringing a free-to-play entry in the form of Diablo Immortal. While both PC and mobile devices (iOS and Android) have been announced as confirmed platforms, some players may be wondering ‘is Diablo Immortal coming to PS4 and PS5?‘ The good news is that we can give you a definitive answer. The bad news is it might not necessarily be the one you’re looking for.

Diablo Immortal PS4/ PS5 Port Explained

We’ve unfortunately got to bring you some bad news, as Diablo Immortal is not coming to PS4 or PS5.

Activision Blizzard has only announced that the free-to-play title is coming to PC and mobile at the time of writing, and currently, no hints have been made, nor are any rumors doing the rounds that a PlayStation version of the game is on the cards.

Should you also be wondering if Diablo Immortal is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, the answer is sadly the same.

If anything does happen to change, we’ll be sure to update this post and let you know. But for now, you’ll have to grab your Android or iOS device or boot up your PC to play the latest installment in the loot-heavy adventure. There’s a complete breakdown on how to preload Diablo Immortal on PC, and the exact global release times for Diablo Immortal on PC and mobile, if you’re looking to jump in on day one, too.

For more on Diablo Immortal, check out the links below.

Author
Chris Jecks

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Mario Strikers Battle League Demo Out Today, First Kick Online Test Coming Next Weekend

1 year 11 months ago

Earlier today, Nintendo of America tweeted out an announcement about the upcoming Mario Strikers: Battle League game. Starting today, Nintendo Switch Online members can download a demo and start playing the tutorial for the game.

But that’s not all, there will be an online multiplayer test — called the First Kick — period next weekend from June 3 until June 5. However, these First Kick sessions for Mario Strikers: Battle League won’t be active throughout next weekend. There are six set times from Friday to Sunday when Switch Online subscribers can test out online play. The list down below details those time windows.

  • Friday, June 3
    • 8:00-9:00 PM PT
  • Saturday, June 4
    • 4:00-5:00 PM PT
    • 12:00-1:00 PM PT
    • 8:00-9:00 PM PT
  • Sunday, June 5
    • 4:00-5:00 AM PT
    • 12:00-1:00 PM PT

In this online Quick Battle mode, you’ll be randomly matched with three other players to take on another team of four. If you want to play with your friends during this First Kick test period, you can have up to two players on a single Switch join an online match together.

Mario Strikers: Battle League will be the first game in the Mario-themed soccer franchise to launch in 15 years. It is also the first time that a game in the Mario Strikers series will be launched on a Nintendo console that has an HD output. The last title — Mario Strikers Charged — launched in 2007 on the Wii.

Author
Omar Banat

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Valorant: Is There Skill Based Matchmaking? Answered

1 year 11 months ago

Valorant quickly became one of the most popular FPS games since its launch back in 2020. Its design is heavily influenced by tac-shooters such as Counter-Strike, and also incorporates hero play from the likes of Overwatch. The result is a game that rewards precise aiming, teamwork, and strategy. While its Competitive mode is arguably at the heart of the experience, there are other modes too. So you know what to expect, here’s everything you need to know about whether there is skill based matchmaking in Valorant.

Is There Skill Based Matchmaking in Valorant?

If you’re not aware, skill based matchmaking is a hidden mechanic that ensures you’re matched against players of a similar skill level when playing online. It allows lower-skilled players to get to grips with the game without being frustrated by losing to experienced players over and over again.

Of course, the Competitive, ranked Valorant mode alluded to above is skill based matchmaking by definition. After earning a Level 20 account, players complete five placement games to earn their initial rank, which puts them into one of seven different tiers, each with its own sub ranks (except Radiant). From there, the experience is all about climbing the ranked ladder, from Iron to Radiant.

Is There Matchmaking in Unrated Valorant?

But what about the Valorant game modes that aren’t so focused on a competitive experience? Well, back in 2020 before Valorant’s full release, game director Joe Ziegler replied to a fan’s question on Twitter about whether there was going to be skill based matchmaking in the game:

Author
Tom Hopkins

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Valorant: How to Join Party

1 year 11 months ago

Valorant, Riot Games’ highly popular tactical shooter, works just fine when you’re matched with random players, but it truly comes into its own when you’re playing with friends. To actually get a game with your pals going, though, you’ll need to understand how to join a party in Valorant. Here’s the low down.

How to Join a Party in Valorant

In Valorant, you can either request to join a party or create one yourself and have others join it. Before we go any further, make sure you’ve read our guide on how to add friends to the game since if you’ve not done that then nothing here will make much sense to you.

To join a party, you’ll need to click on your Social tab and locate the name of the individual whose game you want to join. Right-click on that person’s name and you’ll see a few different options.

Author
Alex Gibson

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Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Box Will Have 20 Discs

1 year 11 months ago

Sword Art Online Ordinal Scale is included in Anime 10th Anniversary Box

Aniplex will release the Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Box to celebrate the anime adaptation's anniversary in 2022. The large compilation will have twenty discs in addition to a 500-page storyboard book and a 100-page illustration book. This will consist of Sword Art Online anime seasons and their soundtracks.

The 20-disc collection will consist of twelve Blu-ray video discs and eight audio CDs. The video segments will consist of the first two anime seasons, the Extra Edition, and the Ordinal Scale movie. It will also include the anime's trailers, creditless opening/ending segments, and commentary videos featuring chibi characters.

The audio part of the box will have more than 200 tracks. It will comprise 131 tracks from the Sword Art Online Music Collection, 19 songs from the first Song Collection, 22 from the second one, and 60 tracks from the Ordinal Scale soundtrack.

Pre-orders of the Sword Art Online 10th Anniversary Box are available on several websites, including Aniplex+, Amazon Japan, and AmiAmi, with an MSRP of 65,780 yen (~$518). Only 10,000 sets of the limited box will be available for sale.

Author
Kite Stenbuck

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GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro Members Can Buy PS5 Bundles in Stores

1 year 11 months ago

GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro Members Can Buy PS5 Bundles in Stores

With the COVID-19 pandemic and console shortages, GameStop tended to limit its PS5 sales to online bundles. However, people will have a chance to get one from a physical store this weekend. On May 28, 2022, retail stores in the continental United States will offer them. However, in order to get one, someone will need to be a PowerUp Rewards Pro Member. As a reminder, that cost $14.99 per year.

GameStop didn’t announce what sorts of PS5 bundles it will offer. However, in the past they tend to have certain commonalities. The bundles involving the standard version tend to include at least two games. They might also include things like an additional DualSense controller, PlayStation Network cards, PlayStation Plus memberships, and headsets. For example, in April 2022 the bundles included Gran Turismo 7 and Horizon Forbidden West. Those tended to be between $725 to $750.

The GameStop digital PS5 bundles in the past wouldn’t come with any games. Instead, they would feature things like PlayStation Plus memberships, PlayStation Network gift cards, DualSense controllers, and peripherals. As the digital version of the console is cheaper, those bundles usually cost between $625 and $650.

GameStop will have the PlayStation 5 in its retail stores on May 28, 2022. People need an active PowerUp Rewards Pro membership to buy one.

Author
Jenni Lada

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June 2022 State of Play Will Include PS5, PSVR 2 Games

1 year 11 months ago

June 2022 State of Play Will Include PS5, PSVR 2 Games

Sony announced its June 2022 State of Play showcase. On June 2, 2022, people will be able to tune in at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET. (That’s 12 a.m. CET on June 3, 2022.) Both PS5 games and the first PSVR 2 games will show up at the presentation. It will run for around 30 minutes on Twitch and YouTube.

As usual, Sony didn’t name any of the PS5 games that will appear. It only noted “third-party partner” reveals. This could mean new Dragon Quest Treasures and Final Fantasy XVI news could appear there. Square Enix said announcements about both would appear in June 2022. New FFVII announcements are also expected to appear imminently.

Author
Jenni Lada

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KSC Will Sell More Black Lagoon Sword Cutlass Guns

1 year 11 months ago

black lagoon sword cutlass header

KSC will sell more models of the Sword Cutlass gun from Black Lagoon. It originally came out in 2021, and additional stock will start appearing from June 29, 2022. They will be available in hobby shops and similar stores in Japan. Overseas fans will need to check if the store in question offers international shipping. The Sword Cutlass gun will cost 31,900 JPY, which is approximately $250.75. [Thanks, Hobby Watch!]

[gallery ids="928325,928326,928327" link="file"]

This gun is protagonist Revy’s signature weapon. She wields two ambidextrously, which is why her nickname in the story is ‘Two Hands.’ In terms of the gun model, the Sword Cutlass is a modified Beretta 95F, with an extended muzzle. She also engraved the words ‘9mm Sword Cutlass’ on the sides, and the Jolly Roger. It has the same ivory grip and Thai engravings as the gun in the show.

You can watch the trailer for KSC’s Sword Cutlass airsoft gun from 2021 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdC8iIHqoMs&t=83s

Author
Stephanie Liu

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IGN UK Podcast #646: Gollum, Sméagol & Irene

1 year 11 months ago

No, sorry, we didn't talk about Star Wars because we did this in the past.

Instead! We talked about the Gollum video game, the TV show you've never heard of that you should probably give a try, the TV show you HAVE heard of and probably have given a try, and much more.

Oh, and Joe has an IMPORTANT new chocolate bar recommendation.

Want to get in touch to talk about digging graves? Or maybe Elden Ring? Feel free to send us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast #646: Gollum, Sméagol & Irene

Author
Joe Skrebels

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PlayStation State of Play (June 2022) - How to Watch and What to Expect

1 year 11 months ago

Sony has announced a summer State of Play broadcast – showing off upcoming PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 games – and it's all happening today, June 2.

IGN is carrying the stream and, as usual, this watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know to watch the show, including when it starts, a list of places you can watch it with us, and what you can expect to see at the show this afternoon.

PlayStation State of Play (June 2022) Start Time

The upcoming State of Play will take place today, June 2 at 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm BST, and looks to run for “nearly 30 minutes.” If you live in Australia, that translates to June 3 at 8am AEST. Tune in early for a live pre-show featuring the cast of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, and a post-show where the cast breaks down what we loved, what we didn't see, and much more.

Where to Watch the PlayStation State of Play Livestream (June 2022)

If you’re interested in watching the upcoming State of Play, we’ll be hosting the stream here and across our many channels on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Here’s the full list of places you can watch the PlayStation State of Play today:

Author
Joe Skrebels

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Lego Bricktales Preview: Snap Bricks and Chill

1 year 11 months ago

Lego games, like the recently released Skywalker Saga, typically focus on combat, storytelling, and light puzzle-solving, but don't include much actual construction. Sure, there's ample opportunity to build, but the task requires little more than holding down a button until the colorful bricks magically connect. Lego Bricktales aims to remedy this, focusing on creativity-fueled construction above all else.

Coming from Bridge Constructor developer Clockstone Studio, Bricktales doesn't do the hard work for you, but rather challenges you to use your brain to build pre-determined objects from piles of plastic. While it looks to stimulate the mind more than blister the thumbs though, it's still a Lego game packed with plenty of the brand's signature personality and charm.

As its story goes, you must help your quirky, scientist grandfather restore his disheveled theme park. You're partnered with an adorable robot sidekick, then unleashed into a variety of vibrant, themed worlds, such as a tropical island, medieval castle, and lush jungle. My demo unfolded primarily in the latter area, where I was charged with helping find and help a group of plane crash survivors.

Exploring the detailed, diorama-like worlds regularly presents progress-blocking obstacles, which then call on you to essentially construct solutions. Bridges, stairways, platforms, and other projects must be tackled to clear obstacles and access new areas. But again, it takes much more than a simple button-press to bring the Lego bricks together and form something that's structurally sound.

Author
Ryan McCaffrey

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A Dinosaur Inspired By The Joker Is Coming To Jurassic World Evolution 2 Soon

1 year 11 months ago

When Jurassic World: Dominion opens in theaters in two weeks, we’ll see what happens when dinosaurs walk among us. Odds are most humans will be turned into tasty dinosaur snacks, but we probably won’t go down without a fight. Jurassic World Evolution 2 players can download a new expansion that adds some of the movie’s new dinosaurs to their parks on the same day. The Dominion Biosyn expansion adds the Gigantosaurus, Dreadnoughtus, Pyroraptor, Quetzalcoatlus, Therizinosaurus, and the long-overdue Dimetrodon.

The Gigantosaurs’ behavior in Dominion is apparently modeled after The Dark Knight’s Joker. This odd inspiration point was revealed by the movie’s director Colin Trevorrow in an interview with Empire Magazine. “I wanted something that felt like the Joker,” he said. “It just wants to watch the world burn.” We’ll have to wait to see just how much of that destructive quality comes out in the game’s version of the beast.

Author
Andrew Reiner

State Of Play Returns Next Week, Will Include PlayStation VR2 Games

1 year 11 months ago

Sony has announced a new State of Play scheduled to air next Thursday, June 2 at 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern. 

The PlayStation Blog states the event will run for 30 minutes and showcases “exciting reveals from our third-party partners.” The post doesn’t mention first-party at all, so it sounds like we shouldn’t expect updates on games like God of War: Ragnarok, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, or the rumored remake of The Last of Us.

Sony also teases that viewers will get a “sneak peek” into PlayStation VR2 games. Just yesterday it was confirmed the headset will launch with over 20 games. The only announced title is Horizon: Call of the Wild, though that project may not appear if the event is highlighting third parties. At that point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what PS VR2 software we’ll see.

Author
Marcus Stewart

New World’s May update introduces combat arenas for 3v3 PvP

1 year 11 months ago

Amazon Games’ fantasy MMORPG New World has received its latest update, ‘Arenas’, which means you can now smack other players upside the head in teams of three. The update brings PvP arena combat in best-of-five contests that Amazon say are for “glory and riches”, but then quickly qualifies that they're actually for unique stuff to decorate your in-game house with. The trailer makes the whole thing seem pretty wacky, see for yourself below.

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Author
CJ Wheeler

Hardspace: Shipbreaker review: moreish sci-fi work sim sticks the landing

1 year 11 months ago

Friends and loved ones will agree, I have big “background character” energy. If I lived in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn’t be a Jedi or a Sith inquisitor. I wouldn’t even be one of those rebels who wear the long funny bike helmets. There would be no “Liam: A Star Wars Story” premiering on Disney+. Instead, I'd be the guy who changes the bedding at a grungy BnB on Tatooine. I would spend my days just sort of vibing on the fringes of all the excitement, blissfully unaware of the very important adventures occurring in a galaxy very-very-close-actually.

Maybe this is why Hardspace: Shipbreaker appeals to me so much. As a cutter, a nameless employee of the LYNX Corporation, you’re about as important to this particular vision of the future as the lad who polishes the floors on the Death Star. You are a nobody. But Shipbreaker relishes in how much that still makes you somebody.

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Author
Liam Richardson

FromSoftware "currently in the process" of getting Dark Souls PC back online

1 year 11 months ago

Over four months after publisher Bandai Namco pulled online PvP support for the Dark Souls series on PC following the discovery of a serious security vulnerability, FromSoftware has said it's "currently in the process of restoring" the games' online servers.

PvP servers for Dark Souls: Remastered, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 were "temporarily deactivated" back in January after reports the games were vulnerable to Remote Code Execution exploits began to make headlines.

Several weeks later, Bandai Namco offered an update, saying that "due to the time required to set up proper testing environments, online services for the Dark Souls series on PC will not resume until after the release of Elden Ring". But with Elden Ring having been out in the wild for over two months now, the Dark Souls community was steadily to lose its patience as further updates failed to materialised.

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Author
Matt Wales

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Jurassic World Evolution 2's new DLC adds dinos, campaign based on latest movie

1 year 11 months ago

Dino park managers looking to wow their guests with a bit more variety might want to point their attention toward Jurassic World Evolution 2's newly announced Dominion Biosyn DLC when it launches for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC on 14th June, bringing, as it does, a selection of new exhibits inspired by the latest Jurassic World movie.

Taking its cue from the upcoming Jurassic World Dominion, Frontier's latest blob of DLC for its park management sequel ushers in a star-studded cast, new features, and, of course, new dinosaurs, amounting to what the studio is calling the game's "biggest DLC to date".

First up, there's a new campaign that'll task players with constructing a Research Compound in multiple stages. This features the vocal talents of Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Campbell Scott in their respective big screen roles, and brings a new feature that'll see players unearthing rare genomes in amber mines to create feathered prehistoric species.

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Author
Matt Wales

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