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Nintendo Switch Repairs In North America Halted Due To Coronavirus

4 years 1 month ago

If you love Animal Crossing: New Horizons or treasure your Nintendo Switch like us, we suggest being very careful with your system in the future. Nintendo has postponed repairs for the system as well as its older consoles in North America due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Nintendo closed its repair centers in accordance with local and federal guidelines, and it does not have an estimated date for when they will resume repairs. During this period, those who send in their consoles may have them returned. Any systems already at the repair centers will stay there until work resumes.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding," Nintendo said on its support page. "Once repairs resume, we will work as quickly as possible to get you playing again."

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Gabe Gurwin

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Control's March Update Patch Notes Prepare For The Foundation

4 years 1 month ago

Remedy has released the March update for Control, which among other things prepares the game to receive the new Foundation story downloadable content. But even if you don't buy into the DLC, you get a number of new bells and whistles like an ability upgrade, revised ability tree, clearer map, and more. The patch notes have been released, showing all the changes.

According to the expansion FAQ, the Foundation is 4-6 GB depending on your platform. You'll need to have completed the main campaign, including the final mission "Take Control," to be able to access the Foundation content. The new mission will be prompted by taking a call from the Board in the the Hotline Chamber. The DLC is said to be around 4 hours long, and adds a new power called Shape to your arsenal. The Foundation is available starting March 26 for PC and PS4, and will hit Xbox One on June 25.

For those who want to keep exploring the Oldest House without the DLC, you'll still get an ability upgrade, Shield Bash. The update also adds the ability to reallocate points in your ability tree, and the map has been given an overhaul to be clearer.

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Steve Watts

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Harry Potter: Teachers Can Now Read The Books To Students On Livestreams Without Copyright Issues

4 years 1 month ago

JK Rowling has suspended some of the copyright policies for her Harry Potter novels to give teachers the opportunity to read the books on livestreams for their students as schools shut down due to COVID-19. In a statement on her website, representatives for Rowling said the author and her agents came to terms on a deal that would "relax" the copyright permissions that are normally required.

Globally, teachers can now post videos of themselves reading any of the seven Harry Potter novels, so long as these videos are released on a school's secure network. The copyright amendment is good through the end of existing school years. Full terms of the "open license" program can be found here.

The statement goes on to say that relaxing the copyright for Harry Potter books is just the first of "several initiatives" that are in the works to help children read Harry Potter at home. More details are due to be announced "shortly."

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Eddie Makuch

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Gears 5 Adds A New Gridiron Mode, Characters, And Maps In Operation 3

4 years 1 month ago

Gears 5 will be releasing a bunch of new content soon, including some classic beloved characters and a new, never-before-seen mode. Operation 3: Gridiron will be available in the Xbox One and PC game on March 31--here's everything it adds.

Four new characters are being added to the game, complete with their own unique ultimates. Augustus "Cole Train" Cole and Clayton Carmine are coming to the Heroes side, while Queen Myrrah and Theron Guard are being added to the villains list.

These characters will be available to all players--as will everything in this update.

The new Gridiron mode is a one-life competition where players compete to nab a flag and score a "touchdown" in their opponent's area. It's a 5v5 mode, and you score 2 points for a touchdown, 2 for an elimination, or 1 if you're holding the flag when time runs out. The first team to 13 wins. The mode comes complete with custom weapon placements for each map.

Speaking of maps, a new one, Pahanu, has been added. It's a jungle map, complete with an open swamp in the middle. Meanwhile, Gears 1 favorite Canals returns, and Arena and Annex are being added as 2v2 maps.

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James O'Connor

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Titan Quest On PS4 And Xbox One Finally Gets A Second Expansion

4 years 1 month ago

After a long wait, THQ Nordic has released a second expansion for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of their action-RPG Titan Quest. The expansion, called Ragnarok, came to PC in 2017, but console players can finally experience it for themselves.

Two new trailers have been launched alongside the expansion, one a cinematic, the other showing gameplay. It's the latest step in Titan Quest's long, strange rollout--it first released on PC in 2006.

The expansion increases the level cap and adds a new story arc, which includes over 1000 new enemies and dozens of bosses to fight through.

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James O'Connor

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The Dishonored Tabletop RPG Now Available Digitally

4 years 1 month ago

Modiphius has just released Dishonored: the Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, which is now available as a digital edition PDF for £15 (approx. $17.71). While the physical edition is only available for pre-order on the site for the end of June, the PDF is available immediately on purchase.

Dishonored: The Roleplaying Game delves into the Empire of the Isles, a place filled with occult lore, intrigue, and drama. This core book contains all the rules and background information needed to start off your group’s adventure into the Arkane whalepunk universe. It even contains a mini-campaign, The Oil Trail, for the city of Dunwall that can be used for your own party.

The book was designed in collaboration with Dishonored director Harvey Smith, along with a diverse selection of writers and artists, many of which were involved in the games as well.

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Olivia Harris

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Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris Trailer Released

4 years 1 month ago

As Sword Art Online anime fans probably know, the most recent season of SAO takes place in a completely different kind of virtual world, one that has no connection to the previous MMO games. Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris follows the anime’s progression into a whole new virtual world, a world where the AI are actually living beings with their own personalities and history.

Anime characters Renly, Sheyta, and Sortiliena are all available as playable characters which can be recruited into your party. Hersyrain is an all-new character not from the anime that has been added to the game. New enemies, the Black Knight, Kayode, and the Mysterious Giant are also featured in the trailer as foes to vanquish. Team up to defeat your enemies and build bonds with your party members--you can even date them in game.

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Olivia Harris

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Nintendo Donates Thousands Of Respirator Masks Amid COVID-19 Crisis

4 years 1 month ago

Nintendo of America has made a major donation to its local area to help out during the COVID-19 crisis. The company has donated more than 9,500 N95 particulate respirator masks to North Bend, Washington, which is where the company is headquartered in North America.

In a statement, North Bend said Nintendo originally bought the masks for its own emergency preparedness measures, but the company decided to give them to the public during this time of crisis. The masks will be distributed to address "immediate needs."

"This crisis is unprecedented. The safety and security of community members is paramount in our daily mission," the local government said. "The communities served by City of North Bend and Eastside Fire & Rescue deeply appreciate the generous donation from Nintendo."

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Eddie Makuch

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The Crew 2 Adding 20 New Cars And Live Summits In Latest Free Update

4 years 1 month ago

The Crew 2 is getting another major update, and it's due out today, March 25, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The update, named Inner Drive, will introduce 20 new cars to the game, including the Koenigsegg Jesko (2020) and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (2020). It won't cost you a thing, either.

On top of this, the update adds 15 new Live Summit events, with a new one debuting each week. A heap of vanity items and avatars have been added too, and new hobbies are coming soon.

More cars are coming on April 8, too. They include the Ferrari Enzo Ferrari (2002), Lamborghini Diablo GT (1999), and Proto Alpha Mark X (2020).

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James O'Connor

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Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Enchanter's Lair Map Out Now On PC

4 years 1 month ago

Fatshark, the developer and publisher of Warhammer: Vermintide 2, have announced the release of the next map update as a part of the Curse of Drachenfels storyline. This map is available right now and will automatically be downloaded on steam for users who have Vermintide 2 already installed.

Inside the Enchanter's Lair

After making your way through the previous two maps, Old Haunts and Blood In Darkness, the party has finally reached the Castle Drachenfels where the Enchanter is waiting. Inside the Enchanter's Lair it seems that the enemy is ready and waiting for you, so beware.

The Enchanter’s Lair is the third map in the Curse of the Drachenfels campaign, which is part of the Season 2 content roll out. The first and second Season content is free for all owners of Vermintide 2 owners and includes Daily and Weekly Quests for players to earn Shillings. This currency can be spent on cosmetics in-game. Shopkeeper Lohner has more cosmetics for players to purchase in the Emporium of Wonders.

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Olivia Harris

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Red Dead Redemption 2 Online Has Moonshiner XP Bonuses And Discounts This Week

4 years 1 month ago

Red Dead Redemption 2 has outlined the bonuses and discounts for Red Dead Online this week, and anyone looking to tackle the Moonshiner missions will be rewarded handsomely. Rockstar has announced that from March 24 to 30 players will receive a 50% Role XP Boost on every Moonshiner activity, including sell, bootlegger, and story missions.

You'll need to be Trader Rank 5 or have completed a Trader sell mission before jumping into the Moonshiner specialist role, but if you've done that you're good to go. You'll also receive a 10 gold bar discount on all Moonshine shacks this week, so it's a great time to make some headway on the Moonshiner role.

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James O'Connor

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Killing Floor 2: Neon Nightmares Update Ups The Ante With Arsenal of New Weapons And Brand New Map

4 years 1 month ago

Tripwire Interactive has released a new update for Killing Floor 2 called Neon Nightmares The free update includes a new map and two new weapons to use.

The new map, Biolapse, takes you deep into an abandoned laboratory filled with zombies, where players will have to take advantage of traps to survive against the horde of undead. Biolapse is playable in both Survival and the weekly game modes.

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Olivia Harris

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons Producer Explains Why The Game Doesn't Have Gender Restrictions

4 years 1 month ago

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has recently released on Switch, and many players are praising the game for its flexible position on gender identity--it never asks you to confirm a gender, and lets you use any hair, make-up, and clothing on any body, which was not the case with previous games in the series. Now, in a new interview with The Washington Post, the game's producer Aya Kyogoku has explained the game's relaxed stance on identifying and restricting gender.

Kyogoku says that the decision is "not just about gender," but a wider consideration for how people identify themselves. "Society is shifting to valuing a lot of people’s different identities," Kyogoku says. “We basically wanted to create a game where users didn’t really have to think about gender or if they wanted to think about gender, they’re also able to."

Elsewhere in the interview, Kyogoku notes that she does not consider changing the Switch's internal clock to skip time forward "cheating," although the developers advise against it.

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James O'Connor

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons -- How To Add Friends

4 years 1 month ago

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is all about friendship, but it can be confusing to figure out how exactly to play with your friends. You can't just rely on your Nintendo Switch friends list for everything; New Horizons also has its own friends list, and your Switch friends aren't automatically included. Here's a rundown of what you need to do to start playing with friends and make sure you've added them as friends in New Horizons.

The first thing you need to do is wait a day after you've started your game. At that point, your island's airport will be operational, and you can start traveling to friends' islands and accepting visitors to your own. Keep in mind that you need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play online with others.

Friends vs. Best Friends

New Horizons distinguishes between "friends," meaning your Nintendo Switch friends, and "Best Friends," which are friends you add in-game via the Best Friends List app on your NookPhone. To unlock the Best Friends List app, you have to play online with at least one other person (we detail how below).

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Kallie Plagge

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Apex Legends' Kings Canyon And World's Edge Maps Are Now Both Playable

4 years 1 month ago

Apex Legends' first ranked series split is now live, resetting every player's rank. The ranked series split also now makes it possible to play on either of Apex Legends' maps for the rest of Season 4: Assimilation, as Kings Canyon has returned once again.

The ranked series was first introduced into Apex Legends during Season 2: Battle Charge, adding a competitive Ranked playlist to the battle royale. In both Season 2 and Season 3, each ranked series lasted for a full season--rewarding players with in-game cosmetic items based on their final rank and then resetting that rank at the start of the following season.

Season 4: Assimilation changes things up by introducing a ranked series split, causing players to get the rank reset halfway through the season. The split also changes which map that Ranked mode is played on. The first half of Season 4 saw you play Ranked on a reworked World's Edge. The latter half sees the return of Season 2's Kings Canyon.

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Jordan Ramée

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Doom Eternal Final Sin: Mission 13 Walkthrough And Final Boss Tips

4 years 1 month ago

Congratulations! You've reached Doom Eternal's final mission! What lies ahead is going to test all the skills you've built up until this point, so don't think this is going to be a cinematic end with little effort required to get through. Give it time, and you'll roll the credits soon enough.

For walkthroughs of Doom Eternal's other chapters, check out our guide hub collecting what we have up so far. And since you've come this far with us, tell us what you think about this walkthrough. Was it helpful? Let us know in the comments below. Otherwise, you can read our Doom Eternal review.

Mission 13 Walkthrough -- Final Sin

Head through the destroyed building and jump to the opposite rooftop when you come to a gap. There's a lengthy combat arena here, so destroy everything in sight and exit through the hole in the wall. Go up the stairs and leap to the next building, using the Super Shotgun's Meat Hook to give the waiting Revenant a friendly welcome. Use the walls to climb up higher, and then navigate across until you can jump into the next building.

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Richard Wakeling

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Overwatch Gets New Doomfist Legendary Skin--But Only For A Limited-Time

4 years 1 month ago

The Overwatch League has revealed a new legendary skin for Blizzard's hero shooter. The skin is for Doomfist and is called Thunder. You can see it in the tweet embedded below.

Thunder will only be available for purchase in-game for a limited-time, becoming available from March 26 through April 9. The skin is in celebration of the professional esports player Jay "Sinatraa" Won, a member of esports team Shock, who won the Overwatch League Season 2 MVP award. Sinatraa is Shock's resident DPS player and has regularly used Doomfist during the Overwatch League.

Overwatch is set to get one more new hero before the release of Overwatch 2. First teased in animated shorts, Echo will be joining the hero shooter as another DPS fighter (Blizzard has followed up to tell fans to not worry, more support and tank heroes are in development).

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Jordan Ramée

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Cross-Play: Games You Can Play With Friends Across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, And PC

4 years 1 month ago

For many, the deciding factor when buying a game is whether they can play it with their friends. There's certainly a lot of fun to be had when diving into a thriving online community, where you can jump into matches against opponents or go on fun quests with allies, and more games have begun to place a larger focus on making online play engaging and fun to invest time in. However, a common hindrance to enjoying these online-centric games can be boiled down to whether or not you're playing on the right platform. Whether it's low player populations, or if your friends are all on a different system, these things can put a divide between periods of frustration and having a good time.

In recent years, cross-play has become more common with online games, allowing people to play with or against others on different platforms. The inclusion of cross-platform play has not only given fading games a second chance, but it's also unified online communities, removing the barriers placed by platform ecosystems. Microsoft has been leading the way with cross-play for Windows 10 and Xbox One, while Sony has steadily loosened up its attitudes on cross-play due to the success of games like Fortnite and PUBG.

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Alessandro Fillari

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Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Update Delayed, New Map And Operator Coming Soon

4 years 1 month ago

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's latest update has been pushed back. The substantial patch was scheduled to go live today and introduces a new Operator, map, and more, but it will now release "in the coming days."

Infinity Ward provided no explanation for why the update has been delayed, nor did the studio clarify exactly when it will go live on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. However, Infinity Ward did say that more details regarding "updates on release timing" will arrive sometime soon.

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Jeremy Winslow

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Pokemon Go Is Adding A Very Helpful New Feature

4 years 1 month ago

Pokemon Go developer Niantic has been making numerous adjustments to the popular AR game as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In addition to canceling a handful of events that were planned to take place this month (including this week's Lugia Raid event), the studio has implemented a variety of tweaks to make it easier to play the game from home, including a handy new feature that will help you keep track of what's happening in the title.

Niantic is introducing a Today View tab in Pokemon Go. This tab will be located in the same menu as your Field Research and Special Research tasks, and it will make it easier to keep track of what's currently going on in the game. Among other things, Today View will display ongoing and upcoming in-game events, as well as personal stats, such as your daily streaks and what Pokemon you currently have defending Gyms.

Niantic hasn't announced when the Today View tab will go live in Pokemon Go, but it teases that it will be rolled out "soon." In the meantime, you can read more details about the upcoming feature on the official Pokemon Go website.

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Kevin Knezevic

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This Week's Best Nintendo Switch Eshop Deals: Resident Evil 4, Dragon's Dogma, And More

4 years 1 month ago

Another week of this thing called life, another week of Nintendo Switch Eshop deals. This week, the Switch is featuring a sale on some of Capcom's hit games as well as excellent indie titles. There are even great games going for as low as $1, so if you're looking for something to keep you entertained while you're stuck at home, the Switch Eshop has some good options you can download right away.

The Capcom games discounted this week include Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen for $20, down from $30. Dragon's Dogma is a fantastic action-RPG where you create your own hero and fight alongside three AI party members called Pawns--these can be summoned from or used by players from around the world. It's an incredible adventure that will surely keep you busy for quite some time. Other Capcom games that are well worth your attention include the all-time great Resident Evil 4 for $20, Okami HD for $12, and Mega Man 11 for $15. The Capcom sale runs through March 30.

There are some great deals from other developers as well. The excellent arcade shoot-em-up Jamestown+ is on for $9 and features intense action and four-player co-op. Speaking of co-op, Risk of Rain 2 is currently $15 and has teams of players fighting enemies through randomized levels that change every time you play. Additionally, the charming co-op adventure game, Knights and Bikes, is discounted to $17. You and a friend can explore an island, hunt for treasure, and get into a whole ton of mischief, all by the side of your trusty goose companion, Captain Honkers--and yes, you can pet the Captain.

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Mat Paget

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Doom Eternal Urdak: Mission 12 Walkthrough And Tips

4 years 1 month ago

You've made it to Doom Eternal's second-to-last mission! Below you can find a walkthrough detailing how to get past it, as well as tips for how to deal with the big boss fight at the end.

For walkthroughs of Doom Eternal's other chapters, check out our guide hub collecting what we have up so far. We'll be publishing more in subsequent days. But if you're looking for more basic Doom Eternal tips, be sure to read our guide detailing everything you should know before playing. Otherwise, you can read our Doom Eternal review.

Mission 12 Walkthrough -- Urdak

Walk forward and take a right once you emerge outside. Stand on the green pressure pad, and a glyph will appear in front of you. Use this to launch yourself over to the next platform, then take a left and do so again. There's another pressure pad platforming sequence here, only now you've got to do some additional pole swinging and wall-climbing to progress forward.

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Richard Wakeling

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Borderlands 3 Next Level Cap Increase Will Give Big Boost To Late-Game Builds

4 years 1 month ago

Borderlands 3 is preparing for another level cap increase to come alongside the release of Guns, Love, and Tentacles. When the update hits on March 26 you can raise your Vault Hunter's max level to 57, an increase of four more points since it was last raised in February. And this particular increase could have a big impact on gameplay.

As noted on the Borderlands blog, the new level cap will allow you to select two capstone skills rather than the standard one. Those skills are among the most powerful in a Vault Hunter's arsenal, so being able to double-up opens a whole new array of possibilities. Gearbox says it anticipates this to come with a "huge surge of power for endgame players" and the ability to experiment with wild new build types.

The blog also reiterated that the game is on track to follow its spring 2020 roadmap, which includes Mayhem 2.0 in April. That will give Mayhem Mode a dedicated tab in your Echo Device so you can adjust it on the fly. There will be 10 Mayhem levels and 25 modifiers, and the higher your Mayhem level, the better loot will drop.

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Steve Watts

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Doom Eternal Nekravol Part 2: Mission 11 Walkthrough And Tips

4 years 1 month ago

You can find a walkthrough below detailing how to get past Doom Eternal's eleventh mission: Nekravol Part II. Finish this one, and you'll be on track to the final boss fights!

For walkthroughs of Doom Eternal's other chapters, check out our guide hub collecting what we have up so far. We'll be publishing more in subsequent days. But if you're looking for more basic Doom Eternal tips, be sure to read our guide detailing everything you should know before playing. Otherwise, you can read our Doom Eternal review.

Mission 11 Walkthrough -- Nekravol Part II

Follow the path forward and take care of the enemies on the bridge. With all of them defeated, find the lantern with a green flame. From here, you can jump to the climbable wall on the platform across from the bridge. Climb up, avoid the flames, and leap to the next platform to do the same. Then use the Dash Refill to reach an opening into the building.

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Richard Wakeling

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Ghost Recon Breakpoint Gets Free Weekend To Celebrate Big Title Update

4 years 1 month ago

Ghost Recon Breakpoint was not only a disappointment critically, but a commercial one for Ubisoft. But its developer isn't calling it quits yet, and today's big title update is proof of that. Breakpoint's new immersive mode and Episode 2 of its ongoing DLC content are now live. To mark the occasion, Breakpoint will be free to play from March 26 to March 29 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Deep State, the latest adventure to be added to Breakpoint, has Splinter Cell protagonist Sam Fisher link up with the ghosts again, this time to help track and take down a new threat on the island of Auroa. Sam Fisher previously crossed-over with this franchise in Ghost Recon: Wildlands, despite not having his own game to star in for many years.

The title update also includes the long-awaited Ghost Experience, after it was delayed at the last minute the last time out by Ubisoft. This new gameplay toolset lets you customize your Breakpoint experience to your taste, letting you toggle settings like regenerating health, HUD elements, and more. You can read the full patch notes for more information.

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Alessandro Barbosa

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Doom Eternal Nekravol Part 1: Mission 10 Walkthrough And Tips

4 years 1 month ago

You're now in Doom Eternal's final set of missions! To think you've come this far alongside us on this journey. Below you can find a walkthrough of the game's tenth mission, which details how to clear the way towards the game's impending conclusion. Remain focused, and you'll be through this hell-ride in no time!

For walkthroughs of Doom Eternal's other chapters, check out our guide hub collecting what we have up so far. We'll be publishing more in subsequent days. But if you're looking for more basic Doom Eternal tips, be sure to read our guide detailing everything you should know before playing. Otherwise, you can read our Doom Eternal review.

Mission 10 Walkthrough -- Nekravol Part I

Head up the stairs and take care of the Cyber Mancubuses and Arachnotron. Dodge the fireballs to the right and follow the path around until you can climb up. Swing on the pole to grab the wall, then jump through the opening in the building. Once inside, defeat the other group of demons hanging around and continue forward to find a combat arena.

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Richard Wakeling

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Was A "Scary" Project For Square Enix

4 years 1 month ago

The second episode in Square Enix's "Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake" docuseries reveals that reimagining the classic 1997 title for modern PS4 players was a "scary" undertaking for the team.

Longtime series writer Kazushige Nojima, alongside some other prominent Square Enix developers like director Motomu Toriyama and producer Yoshinori Kitase, spoke at length about the development behind the story and characters of FFVII Remake. Nojima said that while he's glad the 20-plus-year-old story still resonates with players, he was nervous about tackling the challenge of remaking the game.

"I do have a feeling that the original game caught the zeitgeist of the time it was made. It will be very interesting to see if it still resonates in a similar way today," Nojima said. "That people still like something I was thinking about twenty-odd years ago makes me very happy. But it is also a little bit scary having to remake all of those things that people have such a strong attachment to. It can be nerve-wracking!"

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Jeremy Winslow

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Destiny 2 Iron Banner's Cast In Iron - Quest Steps For New Armor

4 years 1 month ago

The Iron Banner is back in Destiny 2 for the Season of the Worthy, bringing another lengthy quest to unlock a new set of Iron Banner armor. This season's quest is called Cast in Iron, and completing each of its steps will get you a piece of this season's updated armor set, Iron Remembrance.

This Iron Banner quest also comes with an additional goody: Point of the Stag, a Legendary bow the season's only Ritual weapon. Ritual weapons are unique, Masterworked weapons you can only earn through completing lengthy quests, so if you like bows, the Point of the Stag will be worth your time.

The Iron Banner runs from March 24 to the weekly reset on March 31. You don't have to complete all the steps of the Cast in Iron quest in that time, however--there will be more Iron Banner events throughout the season that will give you more chances to wrap things up.

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Phil Hornshaw

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Is A "Very Faithful" Recreation Of The Original Game

4 years 1 month ago

A new behind-the-scenes look at Final Fantasy VII Remake 's development before its PS4 launch on April 10 reveals that the team at Square Enix remained "very faithful" to the classic 1997 title.

In the second episode of a documentary series Square Enix is publishing, in which the studio highlights interviews with prominent developers on the team, game director Motomu Toriyama said that FFVII Remake is in lockstep with the original source material. This is especially true from a "major story" perspective.

"In terms of how faithful the remake is to the original Final Fantasy VII, from the perspective of the storyline, it is very faithful indeed," Toriyama said. "The major story structure is kept very close, so you will do the Mako Reactor bombing mission and then return to the Sector 7 slums."

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Jeremy Winslow

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Dialogue Was Basically Rewritten

4 years 1 month ago

In a new episode detailing the work that went into the upcoming PS4 title Final Fantasy VII Remake, Square Enix has revealed that the team rewrote the game's dialogue to bring it up-to-date with "modern games."

The latest behind-the-scenes look at Final Fantasy VII Remake's development sees longtime series writer Kazushige Nojima explaining his rationale for rewriting the entirety of Final Fantasy VII in preparation for Remake. According to Nojima, FFVII's text-based dialogue was not the most conducive to effective voice acting.

"When Square Enix told me we were doing Remake, I first asked how much we could alter the dialogue because the dialogue in the original game was designed to be read by the player," Nojima said. "It was not voiced. [Now that we] have these super realistic characters and performance, I have gone back and written in all the bits that were omitted because we didn't feel we needed to go into that depth with the original's simpler characters."

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Jeremy Winslow

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Rainbow Six Siege Patch Notes: New Update Fixes These Issues

4 years 1 month ago

Rainbow Six Siege is in its fifth season now and updates are still being pushed out frequently for small technical errors and slight visual tweaks. That's the name of the game in the latest update Y5S1.1, with numerous fixes for sound effect-related issues and minor graphical inconsistencies.

There's nothing in the way of balancing or changes to the overall meta, so this latest update is likely only going to interest you if you're been bugged by duplicated walking effects or issues with pulling out your shield when playing as certain operators.

There are more detrimental issues fixed too, such as certain walls on some maps not taking damage when attacked from one side. There's also sweeping fixes for some collision issues and some strange physics behavior from breaking charges when placed on the lower sections of barricaded windows.

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Alessandro Barbosa

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Hit Space Exploration Game Outer Wilds Gets Steam Release Date

4 years 1 month ago

Strap on your space suit and get into your rickety craft, because the highly-regarded Outer Wilds has finally gotten a release date on Steam. Following a very successful crowdfunding campaign on Fig, the game was one of several high-profile indie titles that became exclusive to the Epic Store back in mid-2019, which angered some backers at the time.

One of the most lauded games of 2019, Outer Wilds allows players to investigate a mini-solar system on the verge of collapse through a Majora's Mask-style time loop. The game snapped up Game of the Year awards from several major outlets, including Giant Bomb. In our review, critic Alessandro Barbosa called Outer Wilds poignant and emotionally affecting.

"Outer Wilds’ deeply captivating narrative and plentiful mysteries push you further into exploring its richly varied and stunning solar system," he wrote. "The time loop you’re trapped in lets you craft bite-sized expeditions that all end up telling their own stories, irrespective of whether you make a monumental discovery or simply encounter a playful interaction. Having a tool to neatly document your discoveries helps you slowly piece together a tale filled with charming writing, and one that presents its own open-ended questions that add emotional heft to the numerous exchanges you parse through during your travels. By letting you chart your own course and piece together its mystery at your own pace, Outer Wilds makes each of its expeditions feel incredibly personal and absolutely unmissable."

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Steven T. Wright

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This Excellent RPG Is Free To Claim On PC For A Limited Time

4 years 1 month ago

If you're deals-savvy, you can usually find a free game here or there, but the past week has brought an avalanche of freebies like we've never seen. To help lift people's moods and give them something to do while stuck inside, publishers and storefronts have been handing out free digital games left and right, mostly on PC, and Ubisoft is pitching in with a new freebie of its own. From now until March 28 at 9 AM (your local time), you can snag Child of Light for free on Uplay. Once you claim the game, it's yours to keep. Uplay is Ubisoft's PC games launcher, and you can download it for free here.

Child of Light is a platforming RPG released in 2014. It follows a princess named Aurora who falls asleep in her bed and doesn't wake up the next day, leaving her father, the Duke of a kingdom, grief-stricken and bedridden. However, Aurora wakes up someplace quite different: a fantasy land known as Lemuria, where she learns the sun, stars, and moon have been stolen away by the Queen of the Night. Child of Light features turn-based battles where Aurora can attack, drink a potion, or defend using a shield, and she'll gain party members to help her out over the course of her journey. Her best support comes from Igniculus, a glowing wisp and her main companion, who can blind enemies and gather healing orbs for her.

While several years old at this point, Child of Light is a journey worth experiencing, especially while it's free. It earned an 8/10 in GameSpot's Child of Light review for its lovely, somber tone, beautiful music, sharp combat, and more.

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Jenae Sitzes

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PS4's PlayStation Plus Free Games For April 2020 Revealed

4 years 1 month ago

Just a few months after giving away Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection to PlayStation Plus subscribers, PlayStation will round out Drake's story by offering Uncharted 4: A Thief's End for free in April. Uncharted 4 is joined by Dirt Rally 2.0, an off-road racing game that released in 2019. Both games will be free to keep as long as you maintain an active PS Plus subscription.

Sony apparently let the cat out of the bag a bit too early, as the trailer announcing April's pair of free games quickly went private. Nevertheless, all PlayStation Plus freebies go live on the second Tuesday of the month, so you can expect to see both games up for grabs starting Tuesday, April 7.

Uncharted 4 is one of the PS4's best exclusive games. It follows Nate, Sully, Elena, and Nate's long-lost brother Sam on a journey to find Henry Avery's treasure. The world is far more open (and lengthier) than Nate's earlier adventures, placing more emphasis on exploration. Nate's swan song has the rare distinction of earning an essential 10/10 in GameSpot's Uncharted 4 review.

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Steven Petite

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New Division 2 Update Out Tomorrow, Patch Notes Listed

4 years 1 month ago

The latest update for The Division 2's Warlords of New York expansion will go live tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25 at approximately 7:30 AM ET / 4:30 AM PT, following three-hours of downtime for server maintenance. The patch notes are already here, though--they're listed below.

The update retunes health and armor values across the board for enemies and allies. This includes a reduction in damage output for all enemies and NPCs, reduced health and armor for elite enemies, and an increase in health and armor for Heroic and Legendary enemies.It also changes Seasonal Manhunts to allow all players to receive progress towards their goals at Normal difficulty or above, regardless of what difficulty was set by the group leader.

The patch increases the drop rate for Coyote's Mask on higher difficulties. The developers also say that they're "looking into" giving the item to players who are Season Rank 35 or higher and do not already have it.

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Steven T. Wright

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Bleeding Edge Is Out Now, And It's On Game Pass

4 years 1 month ago

Bleeding Edge finally launches today on PC and Xbox One, and if you happen to be a member of Xbox Game Pass, you can already play it at no additional cost. The game is being put out by the recently acquired Xbox studio Ninja Theory, and like all of Microsoft's first-party offerings it's being included in the subscription service.

The melee-focused team shooter is inspired by MOBAs, and our own hands-on impressions found it fun but with a steep learning curve. The Standard version costs $30 without Game Pass.

Each team is expected to have one damage, one tank, one support, and a fourth player who can change roles according to the team's need. It also has a unique emphasis on footprints, with each character generating a unique sound. Once you get to know the roster well enough, you'll be able to tell who's sneaking up on you without ever seeing them.

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Steve Watts

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Konami Denies Silent Hills Revival Rumors

4 years 1 month ago

Back in 2015, Konami cancelled Hideo Kojima's Silent Hills, a much-anticipated reboot to the cult horror series. In recent weeks, rumors of a new Silent Hill game--or a restart to development on Silent Hills--have swirled around certain online gaming spaces, with some even analyzing Kojima's tweets for cheeky hints. Well, before you start hanging your Pyramid Head flag from your porch again, you might want to wait a bit, because a Konami US representative has flatly denied the rumors.

“We’re aware of all the rumors and reports but can confirm that they are not true. I know it’s not the answer your fans may want to hear,” said the Konami US rep.

Though Rely On Horror--the site that's reported on many of these rumors--notes that they specifically involved Konami Japan, not Konami US, it's unclear to what extent that matters. Then again, if secret talks are indeed currently in progress, it's not exactly surprising that a PR person would deny them.

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Steven T. Wright

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Risk Of Rain 2 Gets Big Console Update Today, New PC Features Soon

4 years 1 month ago

The roguelike Risk of Rain 2 is getting a pair of big updates--one today on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and the other later this month on PC. The Hidden Realms update catches the console versions up with the PC update that's been out since December. At the end of March, the PC version will add the Artifacts 2.0 update.

The Artifacts 2.0 update is coming to PC on March 31, with no console release date announced. Artifacts are earned by completing challenges and then can be equipped at the start of a run to add new modifiers to the game. Aside from the artifacts themselves, the Artifacts update will add a new Sky Meadow stage, a monster returning from the first game, and a hidden boss. You'll also get new skill variants for Commando, Huntress, Engineer, and Acrid, a new Engineer skin, and new loot.

As with the PC version, Hidden Realms adds the melee-focused survivor Acrid, who has a passive poison ability and can release a deadly cloud as his special. It also adds some new biomes, enemies, and of course, extra loot to collect.

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Steve Watts

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Minecraft Now Offers Free Educational Tools To Keep Kids Engaged During Social Distancing

4 years 1 month ago

Xbox head Phil Spencer has outlined ways that Microsoft hopes to help people through their social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, starting with special educational content to be distributed through Minecraft. In a blog post, Spencer cited "unprecedented demand for gaming."

Part of that includes more kids going online to spend time with friends since they aren't in schools. Spencer says that families are trying to strike a balance between socializing and fun, and continuing education through distance learning. To that end, Minecraft has opened a new Education category to the Minecraft Marketplace, which houses free educational content curated by Microsoft.

The first pieces of curated content include a model of the International Space Station, a coding lesson, recreations of Washington DC landmarks, lessons on 3D fractals and marine biology, and more. These free tools will be available through June 30, 2020.

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Steve Watts

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Sony Slowing PS4 Download Speeds In Europe To Help Internet Reliability

4 years 1 month ago

With internet usage growing due to social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Sony has announced plans intended to help mitigate the impact of the PlayStation Network on internet reliability in Europe. Specifically, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan has announced the company is "working with internet service providers in Europe to manage download traffic to help preserve access for the entire internet community."

While PS4 wasn't specifically cited, it's undoubtedly PS4 users that represent the bulk of SIE's network traffic. (Recent weeks have seen some massive updates and game download sizes, including those of Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.) However, while downloads themselves may be slower, it doesn't sound as if European PSN users shouldn't expect online gameplay to be impacted.

"Players may experience somewhat slower or delayed game downloads but will still enjoy robust gameplay," Ryan explained in a PlayStation Blog post. "We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and their doing their part, as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone."

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Chris Pereira

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