Empress Hamam accomplished a lot in her 71 years. Hailing from a meager tribe in what would be modern Sudan (eastern Africa), she restored the organized worship of the ancient Egyptian gods and cemented the rule of a new pharaonic dynasty in the medieval Nile Valley, finally ending centuries of foreign rule. Her passion in life, however, was her 12 children, some of whom would go on to rule in their own right. Raising that many kids is stressful, though, which led her to develop a drinking habit and a taste for elaborate feasts, ultimately ingratiating her in the eyes of her more revelrous subjects even further. This is just one of the countless human stories that emerged organically over more than 100 hours I’ve already spent in Crusader Kings 3. And its marriage of the personal and the political, the grand and the intimate, is nothing short of glorious.

Sony is exploring the idea of bringing more first-party games like Horizon Zero Dawn to PC.

The post Sony Interactive Entertainment Wants to Bring More First-Party PlayStation Games to PC appeared first on Siliconera.

Ah battle passes: the "natural evolution" of the loot box.

But it's not so natural for a lot of studios, who saw the legislative writing on the wall for loot boxes and decided to give their playerbase another rat race to run. While several big companies are surprisingly doing right by the system, Magic: Arena still has a long ways to go, even after a number of course corrections.

Crusader Kings III is a game that takes in 600 years of human history, from the 9th century through to the 15th, with all the geopolitical conflict, religious turmoil and interpersonal struggles that went along with it. So...where do we even begin with this game, let along this review?

Read more...

Can you believe Astral Chain is a year old already? PlatinumGames celebrated with all sorts of special art (and decorative desserts).

The post Astral Chain Art Shared on Its First Anniversary appeared first on Siliconera.

Don't pack up your original PlayStation 3 just yet if you're invested in PS3 games or backward compatibility with PS1 and PS2. If anything, superglue that sucker in place – it's not going anywhere.

While Sony hasn't divulged the full details on how extensive backward compatibility will be on PlayStation 5, reading the room, it's looking like support for the "overwhelming majority" of PS4 games is our best bet on the new console and everything else – PS1, PS2, and PS3 – is wishful thinking.

While this isn't the be-all and end-all on the subject (and it sure would be nice to have clarity from Sony), according to a Ubisoft support page, backward compatibility "will be available for supported PlayStation 4 titles, but will not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games."

[Update: After widespread circulation, Ubisoft removed that sentence from the support page.]

The meaning behind that wording could be interpreted in a few different ways, so for comparison's sake, it's worth looking at the equivalent support page for Xbox Series X. As Ubisoft puts it, backward compatibility "will be available for supported Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox titles" on Xbox Series X.

It's a stark contrast. I get that BC support isn't a priority for Sony and many players, but for those of us who do care about it – enough to dig up a Ubisoft support page for details – it's such a big deal.

Mentally, I'm at the point where I just hope all of my PS4 games work on PS5. The bar is that low.

Normally I turn to pink hues when I am looking for new gaming accessories, but the lilac Logitech G’s G733 Lightspeed wireless gaming headset, part of the company’s new Color Collection, is pushing me in a purple direction.

Read more...

The Haunting of Bly Manor hits Netflix just in time for Halloween

Continue reading…

Once again, huge changes are coming to the very much alive Heroes of the Storm.

Amid reworks for D.va and Gazlowe, the game is also eliminating Heroes Brawl (RIP and replacing it with ARAM (All Random All Middle). In case you forgot, Heroes of the Storm introduced "Brawl" (in the same vein as Hearthstone) several years ago. While it was decently received at first it never really stuck, as Blizzard seemingly ran out of resources to support it; over time, it stopped producing new Brawls and just recycled old ones.

ARAM, on the other hand, has been thriving. Up until this month it hasn't been an official mode, so folks have either been waiting for it to randomly arrive in that week's Brawl or play it unofficially via private games, using Discord servers to meet up. Now all you need to do is click a mode and go: just like several other high-profile MOBAs.

The game itself is also getting a huge mechanical shakeup with the Nexus Anomaly "Gladiator's Medallion." Taken from the classic WoW item nomenclature, the idea is that everyone (except Deathwing and Gall) now have a baseline item that can be activated to provide unstoppable (a self-cleanse): countering things like roots and stuns. This powerful ability will run on a 300 second cooldown for balance purposes.

The ripple of this anomaly will be felt throughout the game. Players have been complaining for a long while that certain supports don't have a cleanse and that the game is too stun/crowd-control (CC) heavy; but the jury is out on whether or not this is a long, or even short-term solution.

Let Alice serenade you with this new class variant.

The post SINoALICE Adds Alice Minstrel in New Grimoire Summon appeared first on Siliconera.

Overwatch's D.va was introduced to Heroes of the Storm in mid-2017 to a mixed welcome.

Although there are D.va fans out there and folks who can make her work, she's slowly lost favor with the general playerbase due to a mixed-flavor kit that's frankly outdated. A "D.va rework" has been in the cards for some time as a response, and now it's hitting the game today in PTR (until "the week of September 7"), alongside of a surprise Gazlowe rework and some other changes.

D.va has become more of a "traditional bruiser" in the words of Blizzard, with an expansive talent selection that has some of her more important aspects baked directly into her kit. On paper, she should be a lot more formidable and fun to play (Big Shot now being available baseline is a huge change). We'll see once she's in the hands of players.

Gazlowe, one of the first-ever heroes to enter the fray, is also getting a much-needed second pass. The little turret-laying goblin now uses scrap instead of his mana bar: drastically changing his playstyle and allowing him to become more uniquely flavorful and thematic. Turrets are now less powerful overall but his other basic abilities (Deth Lazor, Xplodium Charge) no longer have any cost associated with him.

His Robo-Goblin Heroic (the old favorite) also has an unstoppable activation built into it, with Grav-O-Bomb seeing a reduced cooldown of 60 seconds. Even if those were the only changes he'd feel different, but Blizzard has now allowed him to embrace a more frontline role: which should hopefully result in more engaging teamfights and less "Gazlowe is playing his own game by himself" situations.

QTEs can be very effective when used well

Continue reading…

The Japanese mobile card battle game Senran Kagura: New Wave G Burst will be shut down after almost 8 years in service.

The post Senran Kagura: New Wave G Burst Shuts Down on October 30, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Paper Mario: The Origami King came out very recently, and while a lot of people seemed to dig it; a lot of folks still did not appreciate the fact that that it was settling further into the "new" action-centric Paper style and less in the vein of the RPG classic entries. That's fine!

Nintendo even explained that this shift was because Mario & Luigi served as the "RPG" companion to the "new Paper Mario" style: but with the former seemingly out of commission for now, who knows what the future might bring. Series producer Kensuke Tanabe is seemingly in the same boat.

Speaking to Eurogamer Germany (as translated by Nintendo Everything), Tanabe says that although the goal was to completely move away from the RPG genre with Sticker Star, it is possible that the series could go back to its roots, stating: "Even though we’ve stuck to that decision so far [of being an adventure game with a focus on solving puzzles], we haven’t decided yet whether or not we will keep doing so in the future. Personally speaking, I want to keep developing Paper Mario games that are both innovative and unique."

Tanabe says that he isn't "opposed" to listening to fans on the matter, but subscribes to Shigeru Miyamoto's brand of game development, which puts "innovative and unique gameplay systems" at the forefront. This explains why all of the last three Paper Mario games have felt different, right or wrong, and Tanabe wants to keep "surprising" fans, even if there's "no guarantee" that they'll succeed.

It’s time to grind for gear and beat up bad guys. Marvel’s Avengers comes out this week on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Read more...

This new story in the Higurashi universe will be releasing in Japan early September.

The post Higurashi When They Cry Mei Will Launch Early September appeared first on Siliconera.

As part of the Future Games Show, held this weekend as part of the gamescom festivities, developer FYQD-Studio and publisher Playism released a new trailer for the upcoming hybrid action title Bright Memory: Infinite.

The new video sees special agent Shelia receive a new mission from her agency, SRO, before tooling up and heading out of her apartment, ready to face off against another realm-breaking phenomenon. Arriving at the mission location in the midst of a violent electrical storm, Shelia grapples, slices, and shoots her way through a squad of enemies, before finally facing off against a frightening samurai-like villain - but where, (or when), did this ferocious opponent come from?

Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s new, daily hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. The deadly adventure game Shadowgate was an unlikely hit on the NES, and I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest its tremendous soundtrack played a role in that.

Read more...

In 2016, comedian Pikotaro went viral with his song “PPAP.” Earlier this year, he released a song to encourage people to wash their hands. Now, he’s back, and this time he’s hanging out with an electric rodent.

Read more...

That Blair Witch game arrived on Switch a few months ago, but it contained a little secret that the studio is just now revealing: a hidden code for an Animal Crossing hoodie in the Blair Witch style.

That very video is located above, so you can hunt for it if you wish (or just grab the solution below). Here's a tip: you can pause a YouTube video and press "," or "." (comma or period) to advance each frame. You can also opt for a slower playback setting by clicking the gear below the video. The code pops up very early on, so don't hunt for the full minute and a half for it.

Twitter user Annkoromoti makes incredible models, bringing them to life in anime-like dioramas.

Read more...

Save on Razer Gaming Laptops and Equipment | Amazon Gold Box

Read more...

The Sega Akihabara 2nd arcade, which was formerly known as Akihabara Gigo, is closing at the end of the month because 2020 sucks.

Read more...

Save up to 30% on Dell Gaming Laptops and Accessories | Amazon Gold Box

Read more...

Mary Skelter Finale will now release on November 5, 2020.

The post Mary Skelter Finale Has Been Delayed But Will Release Early November appeared first on Siliconera.

The more I see of Minecraft, the more I’m convinced that we all live in a simulation. Possibly one that’s also inside Minecraft, and running some fancy shaders. I don’t make that claim lightly. Like all conspiracy theorists, I have proof that you cannot dispute. Prepare yourself for a reality check. Below are some dazzlingly intricate pieces of computing, but rendered entirely inside Mojang’s blocky world-builder. And if Minecraft is capable of running in-game PCs, then we’re all just Creepers waiting to explode.

(more…)

Ah Square Enix and Marvel: teaming up for a live service game based on some of your favorite characters. What could go wrong? We'll find out when Marvel's Avengers hits later this week.

Although the previous beta periods of the game gave us a taste of what's to come in terms of the additional cosmetic purchase layer, a new blog by Square Enix this past week gives us some further insight, right as the game is prepped for launch later tonight. Here's the good news: characters will be free for the foreseeable future. But if you want to dress them up, it'll cost ya.

Cosmetics in Avengers consist of outfits (Square Enix says they are aesthetic in nature only, and do not provide gameplay benefits), emotes, takedowns and nameplates. Vendors (just like Destiny, they even look like Destiny characters) will provide access to said cosmetics, as well as the marketplace from the beta. The final credit-to-real-money ratio is 500 credits to $5, so it's a simple conversion.

You can use those credits to buy cosmetics outright or opt in for the Battle Passes, which are dubbed "hero challenge cards." These will run 40 tiers (with free and premium rewards), and you can progress through the cards by completing daily and weekly challenges. Thankfully "all six starting heroes" will get a premium card for free, but you'll need to pay 1000 credits each ($10) for future heroes. Just like many passes, you can earn back your 1,000 credit cost (plus bonuses) if you complete it, or buy "skips" if you're impatient (bleh).

This is a convoluted mess for a comic book game about punching giant robots, but hey, if that's the tradeoff for getting more characters for free, it can work...in theory.

Marvel's Avengers: Everything you need to know about gear and cosmetics [Square Enix]

It was a quiet one for physical releases last week. As such, there has been very little movement in the UK Charts, with only Electronic Arts' annual football release Madden NFL '21 breaking the Top Ten.

Nintendo Switch social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons currently holds the number one spot, having popped in and out of the premier position since its initial release back in March (Yes, March. Can you believe it?). The remainder of the Top Ten is rounded out with Nintendo regulars such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Ring Fit Adventure, and Minecraft, alongside sporting titles such as Electronic Arts' UFC 4, FIFA 20 and 2K Games' PGA 2K21.

This is merely a calm before the storm of the holiday release period. Next week sees the launch of Square Enix' Marvel's Avengers, 2K Games' NBA 2K21, and Activision's much-desired Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2, kicking off what is to be several months of guaranteed high-street sellers.

Originally a light novel, Haruhi Suzumiya launched an iconic anime and manga in the 2000s. The manga is ongoing, but there hasn’t been a new Haruhi novel since 2011. Until now.

Read more...

Nintendo has released the latest Legendary hero to the summoning system of its popular mobile battle Fire Emblem Heroes. The new character, added to the mix by the time you read this, is one of Fire Emblem's most popular protagonists, Corrin.

Corrin, (who appears in this new event in her female form), is the star of 2015 Nintendo 3DS release, Fire Emblem Fates. The regal hero is descended from both the Hoshido and Nohr nobility and as such is a key figure in the war between the two kingdoms. As the conflict escalates between the two nations, Corrin is forced to make a choice between the kingdom of birth and that with which they were raised - albeit by questionable means

Highly skilled in battle and possessing a loyal and tactical mindset, Corrin is fearsome in physical combat thanks to their expert sword skills. However, when situations get particularly tough, Corrin is also capable of unlocking their true potential, taking the fearsome form of an otherworldly creature.

The Dead by Daylight Silent Hill Edition will be shipping this fall.

The post Dead by Daylight Silent Hill Physical Edition Coming to Japan This Fall appeared first on Siliconera.

The Outer Worlds came out nearly a year ago, but it's revving up and almost ready to deliver its first major DLC in just a few weeks.

Peril on Gorgon is nearly here, but before it hits you can check out this lengthy and informative clip from Obsidian; complete with developer commentary. It walks you through the basic gist of the DLC, the new setting and the RPG choices that await you. If you're planning on going in completely blind, you should skip this one as it dives into some story bits.

In case you forgot, here's a brief recap: "A severed arm and a mysterious message lead the crew of the Unreliable to the Gorgon Asteroid, formerly the site of one of Halcyon’s most ambitious and disastrous scientific undertakings, now a lawless den of monsters and marauders. Wealthy recluse Minnie Ambrose tasks the crew with finding answers about Dr. Olivia Ambrose, her mother and the doomed project’s disgraced director, but they are soon ensnared in an intrigue that will change the colony forever."

As a note, Peril on Gorgon is out on September 9 on everything but the Switch (PC, PS4, Xbox One). This expansion will run you $14.99 as a standalone purchase, or $24.99 as part of the season pass that includes another content drop: Murder on Eridanos. If you have Xbox Game Pass you can net 10% off the DLC.

As always, wait and see on the first bit before you commit to both.

Remember E3? I remember.

It was a hectic time, but it was our hectic time together. A time when we could all come together, potentially take off work (well, not me!) and chill for a few days (not months) and talk about games nonstop instead of bursts. Back in June of 2019, Ubisoft talked Gods & Monsters, billed as a full-on cartoony Assassin's Creed that was centered around mythological beasts.

A lot of people weren't into it, but I was intrigued. Fast-forward to mid-2020 and we still don't have any real info about it, but that might change soon. Discovered by Gematsu, the Taiwanese rating board has seemingly outed a new name for the game: Immortals: Fenyx Rising. The PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch platforms fall under that rating.

The prevailing thought is that following a Stadia preview snafu (which we can likely add to the list of platforms), the game will launch sometime in 2021. To me, this seems like an obvious candidate to re-introduce to the world during the next Ubisoft Forward stream, which is happening at some point in the future.

Immortals Fenyx Rising [Gamerating.org via Gematsu]

Sony Interactive Entertainment has released its 2020 corporate report, outlining the industry giant's plans and targets as it heads towards an incredibly important year for the gaming industry. Not only can SIE be expected to put its full weight behind the launch of its new PlayStation 5 hardware, but the report states that SIE has plans to port some of its exclusive first-party titles to the PC platform.

"SIE aims to achieve robust revenue growth by accelerating the virtuous cycle that has been established for the PlayStation Platform," reads a section of the report. "This entails increasing active users and play time, enhancing network services and reinforcing content IP so that consumers select PlayStation as their platform of choice. Targeted outcomes include growth in active users, stronger retention and a shorter cash conversion cycle, from which expanded cash flow can be expected. We will explore expanding our first-party titles to the PC platform, in order to promote further growth in our profitability."

Monster Hunter has been around since 2004, but it's been rather slow-going for the series.

Capcom generally does what Capcom does: support games with enhanced or "super-like" versions over time, and only on a few platforms. Originally Monster Hunter was a PS2-bound series, but eventually moved on to other systems, like the Wii and 3DS.  But what about the Switch? Surely it deserves more than Generations, right? Well, that might be in the cards eventually.

Capcom insider Dusk Golem, who correctly provided many details ahead of time for Resident Evil 8, is at it again. This time they are reporting that "Monster Hunter Switch is being revealed soon," and that it will be running on a "Switch compatible version of the RE Engine." Note that this is the same engine that RE7/RE8, the RE2/3 remakes and Devil May Cry 5 is running on. I hope it's something new entirely and not a revival of an existing Monster Hunter!

Dusk Golem also says that "RE4 [the remake] is in a bit of a worrying position right now," that "[the new] Silent Hill is still in [development," that "something Shenmue related will be revealed in 1-2 weeks" and that there's a "PS5 event in the first half of September." Bring all of it on, especially the potential news on the pricing of the next generation a mere few months before it allegedly launches.

Dusk Golem [Twitter]

Wadjet Eye Games have been around for absolutely yonks. First rising to prominence with the Blackwell series, in which you and your ghost pal help lost souls transition to the afterlife, the studio have dabbled in a host of intriguing settings and locations for their puzzle games.

Unavowed is the culmination of all the years spent perfecting the craft. 

(more…)

Spiritfarer Review on PlayStation 4

Death is a concept explored in most every medium, but few could hope to express the emotions surrounding it the way interactive mediums like gaming can. Enter Spiritfarer, easily one of the most thoughtful games to ever explore the concept and one of the best titles of the year, even if it stumbles technically.

It starts off simply enough, providing a straightforward yet fantastical premise. Players take the role of Stella, a young woman tasked with taking over for Charon as the guide and Ferrier of departed souls. She must travel an expanse of ethereal sea in search of lingering Spirits, taking them aboard an ark of a ship she has inherited and helping them come to terms with regrets from their pasts.

What helps them come to terms can vary wildly though. Some may ask the player for a meal, item or knickknack from their childhood, eliciting memories of a time long-gone. Others may wish to search for a lost love in an area of the sea only accessible by upgrading the ship into a stronger variant, requiring the player to track down the resources necessary to make the improvements.

The August 28-30 weekend saw the biggest box office results of any weekend since the COVID-19 pandemic closed cinemas back in March, with The New Mutants leading a weekend that, while extremely quiet by pre-COVID standards, was big for 2020.

Variety is reporting that The New Mutants earned around $7 million for the weekend, following a $750,000 take from Thursday previews. This is well above the $4 million Unhinged earned the previous weekend. According to Box Office Mojo, cinemas around the US earned around $11 million over the weekend.

This is a funny ending to The New Mutants' long, strange road to a cinema release--the film wrapped in 2017, and was initially planned for a 2018 release. It finally settled into an April 2020 release date after numerous delays--but then had to be pushed back.