Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Mech Punk is taking the piss, and I like it. Deliberately opaque games are one thing. Artsy games making a point (that seldom grab me, I shouldn't admit) are another. But Mech Punk is something else altogether, and an incredibly rare game that actually earns the "punk" in its title.

Does that mean it's good? Well, umm. Yes, it's good at what I think it sets out to do. Being an irreverent mess is a valid artistic approach, but still means your game is exactly that. It's not a good game in the traditional sense, though. Do I recommend you buy it? If you can spare £20 to pat an artist on the back, maybe. What kind of artist? Put it this way: on release, its developer changed all their Steam page credits to "Alan Smithee". I don’t think they’re disowning it.

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When Google announced they were shutting down their streaming service Stadia, a bunch of exclusive games began to jump ship to other platforms. Tequila Works - the studio behind Rime and The Sexy Brutale - have now announced that their Stadia-exclusive adventure Gylt is heading to Steam and consoles on July 6th, 2023.

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Tunic developer Andrew Shouldice has made no secret about his love of The Legend Of Zelda over the years. He's not only spoken at length about how playing the original pair of Zelda games on the NES provided ample inspiration for his crafty hack and slasher, but you can also see it right there in the game itself, from your fox hero's bright green outfit to the beautifully illustrated in-game manual you piece together to unravel the world's mysteries.

But speaking with Shouldice at GDC this year, I wanted to talk to him another other potential source of inspiration. Before he struck out on his own to make Tunic, Shouldice cut his teeth making hidden object games, ranging from globe-trotting mystery adventures to Atlantean-themed detective stories. On paper, this earlier work would appear to provide the perfect proving ground for Tunic, as we all know by now that it holds plenty of secrets of its own. For Shouldice, though, it was more of a reaction against his earlier work that fuelled his approach to Tunic, as he gradually came to realise his hidden object games "weren't tapping into this very specific type of mystery and discovery and player agency and true exploration that I was interested in," he says.

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Humans are pesky creatures. Without the influence of giant crabs and smiling monkeytree giants, who knows what terrors we could unleash? We thankfully won’t need to find out since deity sim Reus is coming back with a sequel: Reus 2. It’s another God game with a side-on view, putting you in control of elemental titans that can terraform planets to either benefit or bully the humans that live there. Gawk at its colourful reveal trailer below:

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The Legend Of Zelda has always been one of my personal favourite series over the years, but being a Nintendo game, it's obviously never graced the PC in any kind of official capacity. But while we may never get to play a mainline Zelda game on PC, there's no denying it's inspired countless other developers to have a stab at it themselves, hence why we've put together this list of the best PC games like Zelda you can play right now. Whether you're looking to scratch that Tears Of The Kingdom itch or get stuck into something more retro-facing like A Link To The Past, we've got you covered. These are the best Zelda-likes on PC we'd recommend playing today.

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Early access shooter Hrot channels the wicked energy of Quake and Dusk with a booming shotgun, fast movement, and wobbly weapon models. Old-school inspirations covered in a Soviet coat of paint that’s so oppressive, it borders on horror. Two of Hrot’s episodes are out now, but the shooter is leaving early access with a third on May 16th and it’s one to watch.

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The Xbox Series Wireless Controller is one of the best gamepads available for PCs, and the new eco-friendly Remix special edition has dropped to £60 on Amazon compared to a debut price of £75.

The Remix edition comes in a nifty green colour scheme, is made from recycled materials and is bundled with a free Microsoft Play & Charge kit, allowing you to replace the battery with a rechargeable Li-Ion alternative - significantly better for the environment than throwing away non-rechargeable batteries, as long as your home's energy comes from somewhat green sources.

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The Razer Iskur is one of the few gaming chairs on the market to get the RPS seal of approval, following a review by Katherine back in 2021, and now it's been discounted over on Ebuyer.

Specifically, you can now pick up this once-£500 chair for £265 shipped, a great price for a comfortable option that suits larger frames and offers a clever lumbar support adjustment feature. For context, the same chair costs £444 on Amazon UK!

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Dell's 32-inch G3223Q gaming monitor has had its first major discount, thanks to a sale on the Dell UK store and a voucher code that knocks even more off the price. It's now possible to pick up this 4K 144Hz HDMI 2.1 model for £494 when you use code VOUCHERBOX4MON at the checkout, compared to £610 for the same monitor at Amazon UK - that's £116 cheaper.

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My personal favourite SFF PC case, the Cooler Master NR200P, has dropped to £60.99 on Amazon - making it a great time to build a new Intel or AMD system. This Mini ITX case is one of the most popular options, thanks to its excellent value, thoughtful design and easy build process - and I can say that with some authority, having bought two myself.

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The worst part about strategy games is the shuffling. I give up on most 4Xs in the midgame, because shuffling more icons around is too wearying. No Total War since Medieval has truly enraptured me, because pathfinding for every army added nothing but hassle.

It's why I love the model of Imperialism, where everywhere is one turn, no shuffling away. It's also why I'm a little surprised how engrossing Foxhole is as a strategy game. As most players (including Brendy) will tell you, it's a game all about shuffling, ie. logistics. But after finally making time for it, I've realised that most of them, even some of the "logi" focused players, don't know what that actually means.

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Gaming monitor makers are slowly getting on board with OLED as a viable panel type, something I’ve been perfectly happy about – even when the monitors themselves initially look, let’s be honest, a bit much. That’s likely going to be a common reaction to the Philips Evnia 42M2N8900, the OLED-powered headliner of Philips’ all-new gaming monitor range.

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The tactical deck-building and chaotic shooting of Friends Vs Friends launches on May 30th, developers Brainwash Gang have announced. Think Neon White, but your handful of cards can blast pals away across beautifully stylish and dynamic maps. The RPS Treehouse has been excited about its multiplayer mayhem for a while, as Friends Vs Friends’ demo at PAX West was a heart-thumping good time. Treat yourself to the newest vibrant trailer below:

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Fans of Monument Valley’s Escher-like staircases and Carto’s level rearrangement, allow me to introduce you to an indie that unites both of those pleasures under one small roof. Solo developer Atlas Imaginal released Little Postman last week as a “personal exercise” to test their game-making knowledge and communicate with players in non-verbal ways. The results are a series of nine down-tempo headscratchers that are out now, for free.

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This week, the Electronic Wireless Show podcast – minus Alice, who’s away – goes faster, higher, and maybe even stronger as we discuss the upcoming Olympic Esport Series 2023. Yes, those Olympics. Battle royale megahit Fortnite recently joined the events list, but are the Olympics folk really making the best use of games if they’re just recreating real-life competitions? And which games would we choose for our own hypothetical esports event, which may or may not involve the unleashing of big cats? Listen in to find out, though you probably already know Nate is going to say Age of Empires. Also, we attempt to crack the case of a mysterious graphics card/lobster smuggling operation, chat about what we’ve been playing this week, and make some zesty recommendations.

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It's a beautiful spring day, so what better time to close your shutters, put on your headphones, and tether your sled dogs to head out into frozen wastes? I've had a wonderfully unnerving time playing That Which Gave Chase, an hour-long indie horror game where you play as a musher in charge of a sled dog team taking a scientist back to an abandoned expedition. It's a good'un, with clever fast cuts between scenes and a strong sense of growing dread.

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The final Asus ROG Ally details slipped into place today, as Asus confirmed the price and June 13th release date of its Steam Deck-bothering handheld Windows gaming PC. And it’s honestly not as expensive as I was expecting, given the premium positioning of ROG-branded monitors and keyboards: £699 in the UK and $699 in the US. That’s more than the topmost Steam Deck model, but the ROG Ally is promising generally higher specs.

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The hack-and-slashing world of Diablo 4 is already set to be massive, but next month’s launch is only the beginning. Blizzard have detailed the action RPG's post-launch plans which include quarterly seasons, rotating cosmetics via an in-game shop, and of course, a battle pass - all of which was revealed during last night’s developer livestream and a blog post.

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Warner Bros. Discovery casually name-dropped Mortal Kombat 12 earlier in the year, when an earnings call revealed the fighter was “set to release this year, with ambitious launch projections.” The relaxed announcement wasn’t followed by any flashy marketing (outside of a few funny Ed Boon tweets) until now. Developer Netherrealm have been dropping small teasers that potentially point toward a series reboot, or a timeline cleanse, or a return to the series' past. Hey, the next instalment might not even be named MK12. Watch last night’s very brief teaser below:

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After playing the the demo at last year's PAX West, then playing the same demo again at this year’s PAX East, and then playing it a third time from the comfort of my own home as part of this year’s LudoNarraCon, I think I’m slightly obsessed with Demonschool.

I’ve had a blast beating up supernatural weirdos with a group of misfit college teens. Together with its soundtrack of absolute bangers that combines dramatic church choir chorus with pulsing synth wave beats (please put the OST on Spotify, Ysbryd), and a slick art style that makes me dribble like a brain-hungry zombie every time I see it, I’m thinking that Demonschool might very well be on its way to being be one of my favourite games of 2023 when it releases sometime this year. What can I say? I love punching freaky demons in the face.

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Star War Jedi: Survivor’s release a few weeks ago was marked with technical woes on all platforms and a particularly wonky PC port. EA already issued a few patches to improve performance, and now they’re back with another update to further tackle stuttering and fix an Imperial cargo ship full of bugs.

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Last time, you decided (by an overwhelming majority) that heals harming the undead is better than voice chat. I cannot say I'm surprised by this outcome, yet nor can I say I'm not wistful thinking about how much I now hate a feature which had brought me so much joy across the years. Ah well. Onwards! This week, I ask you to choose between a simulated cute little moment and a simulated whole new layer of reality. What's better: petting the dog, or entering cyberspace?

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Samsung's 990 Pro 2TB drive is the fastest gaming SSD we've ever tested - even after we looked at next-gen PCIe 5.0 options! That makes it well worth keeping an eye on for price drops, and today we spotted a great deal on the drive over at Tech Next Day.

Here, you can use the code TND-10 to pick up the drive for just £159, a solid tenner off its previous price and significantly cheaper than any other retailer (eg £179 at Amazon).

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Fractal Design are on something of a roll recently, with a bunch of critically acclaimed airflow-focused PC cases that combine excellent thermal/noise balancing with clever features and eye-catching designs. The Pop Mini Air is a distillation of this trend, offering a Micro ATX or Mini ITX form factor that still packs in plenty of cooling potential and useful additions for a very low price. Normally the case retails for $90 in the US, but today you can pick it up in white from Newegg for $70 - a great deal for a solid case!

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Ever since it was announced two short months ago, The Lamplighters League has quickly become one of the most exciting turn-based strategy games of the year. You may remember I got to see it in action at GDC last month, albeit with developers Harebrained Schemes firmly in the control seat. Happily, I've now been able to play its opening tutorial mission for myself in my own time, and yep, it's looking pretty special, folks.

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Early access hit V Rising is getting its first major update next week with the Secrets Of Gloomrot, a Frankenstein-inspired package that offers a brand new region full of fresh-fanged beasties, and plenty more improvements. Secrets Of Gloomrot is set to join one of the best survival games - according to RPS readers and the RPS Hivemind - on May 17th as a free update. Lay your eyes on the first horrid gameplay trailer below:

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The Forge Of The Chaos Dwarfs expansion is hot out of the oven, but Creative Assembly have already detailed what’s next for Total War: Warhammer 3. A fresh roadmap shares what’s coming in the next twelve months, which includes three paid expansions: Shadows Of Change (Summer 2023), Thrones Of Decay (Winter 2023), and To Be Revealed (which I’m hoping is the official title, coming Spring 2024). Each expansion will be accompanied by a free update that brings Legendary Heroes for everyone, as well as interim patches in between content drops.

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Take-Two’s "indie" publishing label Private Division have announced a partnership with Game Freak, the long-standing studio behind every mainline Pokémon game, plus a few extras. Details are scarce, but the pair are working on a brand new action-adventure IP codenamed Project Bloom. We’ve been teased with a single piece of concept art that shows off a brooding character dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, contemplating something in a very dreamy forest.

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Last summer’s Xbox Games Showcase stated that every featured game would release in the following twelve months, which included the much-anticipated metroidvania sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong. Developer Team Cherry have now shared that Silksong likely won’t hit that “1st half of 2023” mark as the bug-squashing adventure has “gotten quite big”.

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Armor Games are a conventional PC publisher nowadays with games such as Bear And Breakfast and the upcoming Tartarus Key under their belt. But they’re perhaps best known for their history as a browser games heavyweight, having hosted hundreds of free Flash games back in the day. Armor Games are now going back to their Flash game roots to publish The Elephant Collection, a remastered decalogy featuring some of the most famous, relephant elephant games from creator and CEO John “jmtb02” Cooney.

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I hereby vow for all the world to see that when Starfield launches in September, I will do my damndest to avoid having any sex at all in Bethesda's spacefaring RPG. The North American ratings board have detailed the types of content which earned the game a Mature 17+ rating, including "suggestive material" in dialogue "after sharing a bed with characters". Oh no. The listing includes several examples of post-coital pillow talk, and they are about sexy as you would expect from the studio whose dialogue is best known for inadvertently spawning memes about mudcrabs and knee injuries.

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The beautiful watercolour vistas of Dordogne have been on my radar for a while now, and happily developers Un Je Ne Sais Quoi have just announced exactly when we'll be able to smoosh our faces in its lovely, puzzle-y paint pot. It's coming to PC and consoles on June 13th, making it the perfect palette cleanser to all the preceding not-E3 nonsense that will be taking place in the days beforehand. I recently played a short demo of Dordogne, and it really is as lovely as its gorgeous screenshots suggest. I'm looking forward to this one a lot.

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Elite Dangerous finally lets its players inside its mysterious Thargoid Maelstrom clouds today thanks to the arrival of Update 15, but having now seen what's waiting inside thee huge gas giants, you know what? The Thargoids can keep this corner of the galaxy. I'm getting the hell out, because I do not have the space legs to tackle the enormous nasties lurking at the centre of them. But I can tell you about them, though, as Frontier Developments have shared some exclusive sneaky info with us about what players can expect to find when they finally make it in there.

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Minimalist subway management sim Mini Metro and its overground follow-up Mini Motorways are getting a crossover update on July 24th to celebrate the series’ tenth birthday, developer Dinosaur Polo Club have announced. Maps from Mini Metros are headed to Mini Motorways and vice versa, along with some other additions as part of the nicely named Miniversary Update.

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Every weekend, indie devs show off current work on Twitter's #screenshotsaturday tag. And every Monday (or Tuesday, following yet another three-day weekend), I bring you a selection of these snaps and clips. This week, my eye has been caught by artwork made by baking cookies (yes, actual real cookies), some Moebius-inspired citybuilding, stylish getaways, and more. Come admire these games!

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The enigmatic system of Outer Wilds is packed with scary things you wouldn’t want running around in real life: spine-tingling cosmic anglerfish, endless time loops, and a bunch of existential dread. (Oh, wait a minute.) Although, the spacefaring adventure has at least one tool that would be handy in everyday situations: the translator. One Redditor has thankfully recreated a functional version of the translator and this clip shows the delightfully faithful tool.

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It's been a harrowing few years in our real world, and I often feel like I'm just trying to keep my own little flame of hope safe from the howling winds of indifference and despair. So Darkest Dungeon 2, a party-based dark fantasy roguelite centered on the idea of doing just that, ended up being a bit too familiar and also a bit therapeutic. Having well over a hundred hours in the first game, I was also pleasantly surprised by some of the ways this carriage-bound journey into existential dread changes up the formula… and not so much by a couple of others.

Just like its predecessor, Darkest Dungeon 2 leads with vibes and attitude. Every bit of art and atmosphere is subtly (or not-so-subtly) menacing, worn down, and melancholic, with Wayne June's unmistakeable narration laying out the compelling story of a quest for answers that went too far. The background on how the world got this way is doled out in tiny morsels of tragic exposition after the conclusion of each run, so I always had new details to look forward to whether I won or lost. It's very clear that reality is, as they would say in the Bay Area, "hella broken," and that it's somehow your fault as the nameless financier of these soul-rending expeditions into the darkness. But the nature of your crimes takes a long time to reveal itself.

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Hello folks. A new feature arrives on RPS today, which should help to make it easier to keep up with the games and topics that matter the most to you. We've always had tag pages at RPS, but now you can follow those tag pages, and we'll send you a notification when we publish something new about it. Here's how it works.

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During the noughties, developer ID Software adapted some of their iconic shooters into curious mobile spin-offs with Doom RPG, Doom 2 RPG, and Wolfenstein RPG. These mixed Doom with old-school dungeon-crawler design, letting you shoot monsters at a considerably slower pace. Over a decade after their initial releases, developer GEC.inc unofficially ported Doom RPG onto PCs and now the team is back with a port for the sequel.

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Capcom are holding an open beta for their upcoming hadouken ‘em up Street Fighter 6, commencing on May 19th and concluding May 21st. The open beta will include all of the same content from December’s closed beta test, but now more fans can jump into the fray to whack foes in online matches. To participate in the punchin' n' kickin', players need to register their Capcom ID and link their preferred platform which includes PC and consoles.

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