Bungie is looking to sue whoever decided it was a good idea to go around and take down Destiny 2 videos on YouTube. They essentially just pretended to be Bungie and filed copyright takedowns. That is an issue and once again shows the failure of YouTube’s system to protect creators.

Bungie stated in a recent TWAB that they were targeted by “fraudulent accounts created to impersonate our IP protection service.” Google then goofed by actually believing the lie and striking down videos.

Bungie is now firing back at these people as they have filed a suit against ten unknown individuals. Bungie claims they have suffered “nearly incalculable damage” to their reputation.

The complaint states the following:

“Doe Defendants were able to [send fraudulent notices] because of a hole in YouTube’s DMCA-process security, which allows any person to claim to be representing any rights holder in the world for purposes of issuing a DMCA takedown. In other words, as far as YouTube is concerned, any person, anywhere in the world, can issue takedown notices on behalf of any rights holder, anywhere.”

While Bungie isn’t suing YouTube for the incorrect takedowns, they do take some shots at them. They claim that YouTube has no checks or verification for takedowns. This is something known to be true as this is far from the first time DMCA has been abused.

This instance was particularly bad as the takedown requests were sent with freshly created Gmail accounts. If that isn’t an immediate red flag, I don’t know what is.

Bungie is seeking up to $150,000 for each fraudulent takedown. That will end up being millions of dollars. For now, we just have to sit and wait. It will be interesting if this finally gets YouTube to change the DMCA system.

Source

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Bandai Namco has announced that One Piece Odyssey is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC later this year. The game is a JRPG with turn-based combat and features an original story with the original Japanese voice cast adding to the authenticity.

One Piece Odyssey transports the Straw Hats to a mysterious new island where they embark on quests and fight powerful enemies and massive bosses in exciting turn-based battles. In the game, players take on the role of nine of their favorite pirates, playing as Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Franky, Sanji, Usopp, Nico Robin, TonyTony Chopper, and Brook. A new character revealed during the livestream, the cheerful and towering Adio, joins the Straw Hats in their latest adventure.

While this is an original story, series creator Eiichiro Oda helped guide its creation. That means, hopefully, the story and characters will feel just like the anime.

Katsuaki Tsuzuki, Producer at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc, had this to say:

“We are happy to be joining the celebration of the 25th anniversary of One Piece with the release of One Piece Odyssey. We have been teaming up with ILCA Inc. and have been working hard in collaboration with Eiichiro Oda to create a great adventure drama that touches the world of ONE PIECE in a game that we hope will surpass players expectations.”

One Piece Odyssey is interesting, to say the least. If you’re a big fan of the One Piece anime, it is certainly worth checking out. If you haven’t watched the unending series that is One Piece, hopefully, this game will still be a good JRPG.

Source: Press Release

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An ex-developer who worked on Fable explains why development has been slow. It turns out the issue many might suspect did prove a problem. Playground Games simply lacked people with experience and knowledge of making an RPG like Fable.

Juan Fernandez, the ex-developer who worked on Fable, had this to say:

“They’re very smart, and they know what they’re doing. They wanted to branch out with something different, and they thought that what they do well is open-world racing games, [but] they lacked people with the knowledge of how gameplay is done. In an open world, how you control a character and the actions are very different from what you have in a racing game.”

Fernandez also claimed development of Fable was slowed due to a “doing more with less” attitude. Playground Games has been hiring more and more staff since Fernandez left, so it is unclear how much of this is currently impacting development.

We do know Fable has been in development for quite a while, with not much to show for it. Playground’s lead engineer Tom Golton mentioned he has worked on the game for four years, and it is unclear when he joined.

Hopefully, the development of Fable has improved since Fernandez has left. I know I thought it interesting that Playground Games, known for the Forza series, was going to be making an open-world action RPG. It’s great when developers branch out and try new things, but it sounds like Playground wasn’t quite prepared for that.

We also know Fable probably isn’t coming out for a while since we know so little about the game. Hopefully, this is the year of Fable, and we will get some more info about the game. We do know it is coming before Elder Scrolls 6.

Are you excited for the new Fable game? Do you think Playground Games will be able to make a great open-world RPG? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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The Wolf Among Us 2 will have a standalone story. This means those who missed out on the original title will be able to fully enjoy the story as told. The Wolf Among Us 2 is still a sequel story, just one that explains how the characters came to be where they are.

Telltale CEO Jamie Ottilie had this to say on The Wolf Among Us 2:

“We strive to design our narratives so they can stand on their own. We think the opening of the first episode sets things up in such a way that the player understands how the characters got where they are now.”

While The Wolf Among Us 2 will feature elements from the first game, it is a new experience in several ways. A new team is handling the game, and Unreal Engine will be used this time around.

Ottilie had this to say:

“The challenges with the old proprietary engine were well-known. We wanted the speed, power, flexibility, and art pipeline of Unreal. However, we still needed our proprietary tools for many aspects like enabling quick iteration and our choice-driven episodic gameplay, so we had to refresh those tools to sit atop and work with the new engine.”

The Wolf Among Us 2 will release in 2023. The game will follow the same episodic format as the original. This time, however, each episode will be finished before the first one even ships. This is to stop any potential delays.

While getting every episode out in a timely manner is important, I’m not sure what the point of an episodic release is if each episode is already finished.

Are you excited for The Wolf Among Us 2? What do you think of the episodic format? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Gran Turismo 7 is finally back online after a day of being down. Racers can now return to the track and get back to winning races.

Gran Turismo 7 went offline due to an issue with update 1.07. It turns out, that update had an issue that could impact player save data. That isn’t good. In order to fix this, developer Polyphony Digital decided it would just be best to take the whole game offline rather than risk player save data.

Update 1.08 is now out and should fix the issue. While the desire to protect player save data makes sense, having no offline mode at all is an issue. Players were stuck and unable to play a game they spent good money on. While we live in an online world, there are still many who don’t have access to a solid internet connection. Offering absolutely nothing when not connected to the internet is proving to be a bit of an issue with some modern games.

Gran Turismo 7 has already been facing heavy criticism before the outage. Many find the microtransactions to be way too much and lead to a grinding experience. This isn’t helped by the fact that a recent update actually made it more difficult to unlock cars by simply playing the game.

Combine that issue with the recent outage, and it makes sense why players are having issues with Gran Turismo 7. Hopefully, Sony and Polyphony Digital are able to focus on the game and turn it into the racing sim that gamers want.

Source

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The Chinese tech giant Tencent now has a majority stake in Tequila Works. Tequila Works is a Spanish developer best known for their game Rime.

Tequila Works CEO Raul Rubio had this to say:

“For 12 years, the teams at Tequila Works have passionately crafted high-quality titles that radiated our personal sensibilities. But there’s a limit to how much you can grow by yourself.”

Rubio also said Tencent is a “partner that can appreciate the value of top creative talent with originality as their banner. One that respects our independence and creative freedom. This partnership will allow us to focus on taking the original IPs we are known for to greater heights and create the best experiences we can dream of.”

Tencent is not well-liked amongst gamers. They have a tendency just to devour studies and take away their independence.

On the other hand, Tencent also allows smaller studies to flourish. Tequila Works will have far more resources than they ever had before. This could potentially be used to create bigger and better games. At the end of the day, games cost a lot of money to make, and they need more resources to make the games they want.

It will be interesting to see how Tencent acquiring a majority stake in Tequila  Works impacts their future games. We know they are currently working on Song of Nunu. Song of Nunu follows a young boy named Nunu and a yeti named Willump, where they solve puzzles and fight wolves.

What do you think of Tencent having a majority stake in Tequila Works? What are your thoughts on Tencent in general? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Dying Light 2 fans may be going to Elyseum in new DLC. While this isn’t confirmed, it certainly makes sense. Fans shouldn’t have to wait too long to find out for sure, as story DLC was confirmed for June.

This leak was posted by Redditor Sekurko, who was looking for cut content. This includes the name of several areas and quests that can supposedly be found in Elyseum.

While this isn’t confirmed by Techland yet, it would certainly make sense. Elyseum was used in marketing for Dying Light 2 and it is clearly a mostly developed location. The location ended up not being accessible in the main game, so it would make sense not to let that work go to waste.

It is very likely player will end up visiting Elyseum at some point. Either with the first story DLC coming in June or some other DLC as Techland promised five years of content for Dying Light 2.

Dying Light 2 is already a massive game, so it will be interesting to see just what the DLC ends up adding. Dying Light 2 doesn’t exactly need more massive areas. While those will definitely come, the DLC will need some serious substance.

Dying Light 2 story DLC is certainly exciting as the main story is really what holds the game back for many. An upgrade in that department would make the game at least a bit more enjoyable.

What did you think of Dying Light 2? Are you excited for future DLC? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Streamer Distortion2 has beaten Elden Ring in just 33 minutes. Certainly an impressive feat, given how difficult and massive Elden Ring can be. Considering how many players have played for dozens of hours without even going against the first boss, beating the game in half an hour is impressive.

Distortion2 will likely have beaten Elden Ring even quicker here very soon. He has managed to beat the game with a new time multiple times already and shows no signs of slowing down just yet.

You may be wondering just how someone can complete a game as massive as Elden Ring in just over half an hour. The answer is quite simple; wrongwarping. Wrongwarping is when you trick a game into teleporting you somewhere other than the intended destination.

Using wrongwarping, a player can die and then end up somewhere totally different. This allows for quick travel across the map, allowing one to get to the bosses much faster. Or to skip bosses and just get to the one that is required to beat the game.

Distrotion2 is doing an any% speed run. This allows him to skip content entirely if it isn’t necessary to beat Elden Ring. It is just one form of speedrunning, but it is very entertaining. Seeing these people take advantage of glitches to move through a game quickly is impressive. It will be interesting to see what the fastest clear time to beat Elden Ring will end up being. It is just getting quicker and quicker right now.

Have you watched Distrotion2 in action? Have you been enjoying a normal playthrough of Elden Ring? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Square Enix announced that a new demo for Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is now available. The demo is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. PC gamers get nothing. The full game is set to launch on March 18.

This will be the third demo for gamers to try. The demo will showcase the game’s action-oriented combat, its deep, customizable job system, and its familiar, yet mysterious, world based on the first Final Fantasy game.

If you are still on the fence about Stranger of Paradise, this third demo seems like a perfect chance for you to see if it can win you over. Yes, the game will now and forever be called Stranger of Paradise. I’m not sure why Square Enix is struggling with names at the moment, but I’m not going to keep writing out Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin.

I am one of those who is on the fence about Stranger of Paradise, and I hope this new demo can win me over. I like JRPGs, but Square Enix’s focus on action rather than turn-based is very hit or miss for me. The way people dress also really throws me off. Nobody looks like they really belong in a fantasy world.

If you do decide to try out the demo, your save data will carry over. So if you do end up enjoying your time with the game, you can pick it up and continue at launch.

What do you think of Stranger of Paradise? Are you going to try out the demo? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

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PC Building Simulator 2 is coming to the Epic Game Store later this year. It will be exclusive to the store, and no firm release date has been given just yet. That’s probably for the best with how crazy release dates have been lately.

Developed by Spiral House and published by Epic Games, PC Building Simulator 2 looks to build upon the original in every way. The game will launch with an impressive 1200 licensed parts so gamers and PC enthusiast can create their dream machines. A host of new RGB options will certainly aid in this goal. After all, you can’t have a gaming PC without some lights.

PC Building Simulator 2 just looks to make everything better about the original. The devs are promising a new 30+ hour campaign mode alongside a host of new features. The aim is to make hardware and software simulation more realistic than ever before.

While I’m sure some will be disappointed with the Epic Game Store exclusivity, I don’t see that as a huge negative. Epic is funding this game, after all. I never feel bad when smaller devs look to secure profit. They deserve it, and the Epic Game Store exclusivity is some major guaranteed income. It is hard to turn that down as a smaller, independent developer.

This will certainly be on my list. Simulation games such as this are my favorite ways to relax. Just sit down and focus on building the perfect PC. No rush. No failure. Just relaxation.

Are you looking forward to PC Building Simulator 2? Are you disappointed with the Epic Game Store exclusivity? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

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In a free update, indie platformer The Gunk has added a new photo mode for fans to try out. The Gunk is a great game for it as well as it focuses on exploration of a beautiful alien planet. There should be plenty of excellent pictures coming out of this.

I’ve played The Gunk myself, and I certainly would have appreciated this mode. While I don’t feel the game rises above average, it did have some wonderful environments. I would have played around with photo mode for a bit to make the most of these environments.

The Gunk’s photo mode includes several editing options. Your post-processing photo editing options include the ability to adjust depth of field, exposure, field of view, add filters like “noir”, “sepia”,  “cartoon”, and more. Players will also be able to adjust the pose and facial expressions of the protagonist Rani.

This free update adds more to The Gunk than just a photo mode. The update includes improved resolution settings, with 4K monitors now supported better than ever before, the ability to disable motion blur, quality of life changes such as a setting to automatically enter aim mode, and mouse control improvements.

I don’t care how much they’ve improved mouse controls; I will never play a third-person platformer with mouse and keyboard. My brain can not comprehend how I would do that comfortably.

I’m glad to see another game adding a photo mode. I think this is something most games should really have on a high priority to have at launch, however. I liked The Gunk well enough, but I have no intention of going back in months later just for a photo mode. I would have been sharing a bunch of pics if it were available at launch.

Source: Press Release

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The Kaito Files, DLC for Lost Judgment, is coming March 28. The DLC will offer four more chapters and is free for those who own the season pass. It will also be available separately for $29.99.

Reprise your role as Masaharu Kaito to tie up some loose ends from his past. The Kaito Files picks up where Lost Judgment left. It has Kaito picking up a lucrative case while Yagami is out of town that unexpectedly has him searching for his old flame, Mikiko. Along the way, Kaito encounters Jun, a teenager claiming to be their son, and team up to uncover the truth behind Mikiko’s disappearance.

Now Kaito stands at the crossroads of past and present while up against a syndicate tied to Kamurocho’s criminal underbelly. But why did Kaito and Mikiko split up, and what does this dark faction have to do with her?

Key Features:

• His side of the story: Challenge all-new bosses with Kaito’s unique combat styles, scour Kamurocho for new collectibles, and dive into Kaito’s past in this larger-than-life drama expansion spanning four chapters.
• Beast of the streets: Brazen, bold, and always bombastic, Kaito is reliable in any fight, shake-down, or chase. Go beast mode with Kaito’s aggressive Bruiser fighting style or crank up the defense with his Tank fighting style.
• Trust your gut: No need for Yagami’s fancy gadgets here; Kaito has his own sensory-based sleuthing style. Tap into Kaito’s Primal Focus to literally sniff out clues, identify suspects and crack the case with his instincts.

If you are a fan of Lost Judgment, The Kaito Files sounds like an easy recommendation. It’s hard to complain about more detective action. Hopefully, it lives up to the high-quality standard set by Lost Judgment and the Yakuza series.

Source: Press Release

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Battlefield 2042 is not doing well on Steam at all. Right now, the game is struggling with just 2,090 players on in the last 24 hours. That number is less than Battlefield 1, 4, and 5.

Battlefield 4 has 2,195, Battlefield 1 has 7,498, and Battlefield 5 has 21,709. It is safe to say that Battlefield 2042 has been a complete disaster on Steam and likely elsewhere. These numbers are not of a game that is going to get long-term support. I’m not sure there is a way to turn this disaster around.

This comes after Battlefield 2042 became one of the all-time worst-reviewed games on Steam. EA’s once-prominent FPS has had nothing but struggles with this iteration. That truly is a shame as I used to like the Battlefield series quite a bit. It was my go-to FPS when I was in the mood for that.

To further cement just how poorly Battlefield 2042 is doing, its season one was delayed from February to sometime this summer. An online game launches, and it doesn’t even have a season one for months. I don’t think anything else could signify a game launching way too early.

Unsurprisingly, Battlefield 2042 didn’t meet EA’s expectations. They were not happy with how poorly the game sold. While often publishers claim a game underperformed because they had ridiculous expectations, I think this is a legitimate underperformance.

Battlefield 2042 is why you don’t rush games. You can’t always just fix them later. I honestly don’t know if it will ever reive that summer update to add season one. EA might as well just kill this game now. It is clear that it won’t be missed.

Have you played Battlefield 2042? Do you think it deserves this fate? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Quantic Dreams has faced scandals of workplace abuse in the past, and it may be coming back to bite them with Star Wars Eclipse. For some reason, the company that has a boss accused of saying homophobic slurs and that has people who photoshop your face onto porn is having a tough time hiring.

People have apparently heard about these incidents, and they are struggling to hire more staff for Star Wars Eclipse. This struggle to get staff could push the launch back all the way to 2027-2028. Announcing a game only to launch it over six years later isn’t exactly what most developers want.

Xfire’s Tom Henderson reported that they announced the game early to attract more staff to work on the project. After all, who wouldn’t want to work on a Star Wars game? Well, if the hiring struggles are true, apparently, many people don’t. As cool as Star Wars is, it isn’t worth suffering over.

Honestly? I think this is a huge wake-up call. Devs deserve to be treated fairly. I’m glad a company that has had controversy in the past with how it treats staff is struggling to hire.

Hopefully, this will force them to make some changes. It would be nice if this happened to all of these companies. Force them to address their reputation and make changes. Quantic Dreams wants staff for Star Wars Eclipse? Then they better prove they have changed. They better prove that they have adjusted are no longer a toxic place to work.

Do you think the hiring struggles are justified with Quantic Dreams? Do you see this becoming a trend? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Activision Blizzard has failed to follow California law states that board of directors must have at least three women on them. They have also decided to blame their failure on Microsoft. Despite the fact that they had nearly three years of notice. Yeah, I don’t think this is somehow Microsoft’s fault.

Activision Blizzard wrote this in the latest annual report:

“To meet this requirement and improve the diversity of our Board of Directors, the Company retained a search firm and began interviewing potential additional female directors in 2021. However, since the Company’s current directors would cease to continue to serve on our Board of Directors upon consummation of our proposed transaction with Microsoft, we were unable to conclude the process in 2021. We will be continuing our efforts to appoint a new female director.”

Activision Blizzard just really doesn’t like women. It’s honestly kind of just weird at this point. They already faced the lawsuit of a discriminatory workplace environment, and now they couldn’t hire a single woman for the board of directors in nearly three years.

Honestly, I’m always a little wary of video game acquisitions. I like studios staying independent. When it comes to Activision Blizzard, the Microsoft acquisition can’t go through quickly enough. The employees deserve better than Bobby Kotic’s inept leadership.

Hopefully, Activision Blizzard sees fundamental changes in the workplace with Microsoft. It won’t be easy, and it will take time, but it is clear that the culture needs to be re-worked from the ground up. Women should be treated as human beings.

Time will tell how this Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard turns out. However, I’m rather confident that things couldn’t get much worse than they are now.

How do you feel about Activision Blizzard blaming their failure to hire a woman on Microsoft? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Primordia is a pixel-art cyberpunk adventure game that is now available on the Nintendo Switch. The game was beloved by critics and fans when it launched on PC, and now it has the chance to reach even more people. Always a good thing, and an adventure game is fantastic to play in bed.

Primordia takes place in the future, where humans have been outlived by the machines they created. The player will follow Horatio Nullbuilt, a stoic android who would be content to spend his days in the junkyard he calls home, sparring with his sarcastic sidekick Crispin and ruminating on the teachings in the Book of Man. With his power source running out, Horatio must travel to Metropol, the city of glass and light. And when he gets there, he’ll find that everything he thought he understood is not what it seems.

Primordia is a fantastic game if you are into adventure games. Puzzles often have multiple solutions, and the game offers multiple endings with developer commentary. A perfect reason to replay and see everything Primordia has to offer.

Primordia on the Switch seems to be a great way to play the game. The Switch is perfect for adventure games. Adventure games are great for relaxing in bed before you go to sleep. Explore post-apocalyptic earth, then get a full 8 hours of sleep. Well, try and fail to get a full 8 hours of sleep.

I missed out on Primordia when it launched, but the Switch version has me intrigued. I’m a fan of adventure games as I love character-driven stories and exploration.

Are you interested in Primordia on the Switch? Have you played it on PC yet? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

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Developer Sloclap has knocked it out of the park with Sifu as, in under a month, the game has sold over one million copies. That is very good for a game of its size.

To celebrate this achievement, Sloclap has released some stats on the game. One such stat is that there has been over 10 million hours played.

Interestingly, but unsurprisingly, out of the one million people who have played Sifu, only 45% have managed to reach the third level. So far, only 150,000 have actually managed to beat Yang, the main antagonist of the game. Sifu has sold over a million copies, but it seems like some of those players are having some trouble.

Pierre Tarno, executive producer at Sloclap, had this to say on Sifu:

“We are thrilled by the reception of Sifu from both fans and press alike. We set out to create an authentic, Kung Fu action game that paid homage to our favorite Kung Fu films. We’re thankful for our fans around the world but we are especially humbled by the incredible reception the game has had in China. Our internal metric of success was how well the game was received there and knowing that fans in China are the largest segment of our sales outside of North America and the positive reviews from Chinese critics means a lot to us.”

It’s great to see a difficult, indie game inspired by kung fu do so well. I’m glad that Sifu has proved enough of a success to reach the one million copies sold in under a month.

Have you played Sifu? Have you managed to get past the second level? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

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Risk of Rain 2’s first DLC, Survivors of the Void, is out now on PC. The DLC adds two Survivors, an alternative endgame boss, five new stages, an endless mode battling against progressively tougher monsters, and more.

Duncan Drummond, co-founder of Hopoo Games, had this to say bout the expansion:

“One of our key design pillars on Risk of Rain 2 was to ensure that no two runs of Risk of Rain 2 are the same, and that’s never been more true than in Survivors of the Void. This expansion crams more content than we’ve ever included into Risk of Rain 2. I can’t wait for players to get their Corrupted-Void Fiend-hands on Survivors of the Void and to see how our community combines all these new items, abilities, and Survivors to shake up the game!”

Here are the key features of the Risk of Rain 2 DLC:

• Two Survivors, the powerhouse sniper Railgunner and the corrupt combatant Void Fiend, join Risk of Rain 2, each with unique mechanics and playstyles.
• Five new stages give players more to explore and enjoy.
  • The all-new Aphelian Sanctuary, Sulfur Pools, Siphoned Forest, a Void stage, and an endgame stage offer new terrain to traverse and secrets to discover.
• A wave-based horde mode, the Simulacrum is set within the Void simulation and only ends once players have been defeated. Team up in multiplayer and take on enemies of progressively increasing difficulty levels. As long as one person in the party survives by the end of the wave, the whole group revives to face the next challenge.
• 40 new items add more variety to Risk of Rain 2’s nearly limitless combinations. Eighteen items are “normal,” with fourteen of these items also having a corrupted Void version.
  • A twist on existing items, Void Items corrupt all items in the same item class and change up their effects in the game. Typically, they become a more powerful version of the standard item, but make sure to read carefully as some of them have unique effects!
  • Additionally, three new interactables create a dynamic experience by affecting the items you can use and encounter.

• With nine new monsters, two new bosses, and two new Elite types, Survivors of the Void presents many unfamiliar threats to players. Whether you’re facing the fearsome (but adorable) blob Gup or a mysterious, crustaceous foe, learn their behavior to find the best strategy to take them down.
• An alternative endgame boss that completes the Risk of Rain 2 experience by expanding on the story and lore.
• New music from Risk of Rain 2’s composer Chris Christodoulou brings the deadly-but-incredible world of Petrichor V to life (or death).

This sounds like a must-buy if you are a fan of Risk of Rain 2. Just more of everything that makes the third-person roguelite great.

Source: Press Release

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Dead by Daylight is expanding outside of video games and is getting a board game adaptation. At least, that is the current plan. A Kickstarter campaign for the project will go live on March 29.

The Dead by Daylight board game will have two to four players will take on the roles of Survivors, while one will play the role of the savage Killer. Survivors will attempt to discover and repair generators to escape the Trial Grounds, while the Killer must anticipate their moves to hunt them down and sacrifice them one by one. So, very much inspired by the game it is based on.

The board game includes distinct Survivor and Killer personas, items, perks, interactive props, and the Trial Grounds. Level 99, the board game publisher, wants it to be as accessible as possible. They plan to add a wide variety of play options so groups can play how they see fit.

Dead by Daylight: The Board Game will have two editions available. The standard edition is priced at $49.99 and includes 6 Killers, 7 Survivors, and 2 maps. The collector’s edition is priced at $99.99 and includes 16 Killers, 17 Survivors, and 4 maps. All of the survivors and killers are drawn from the game itself up to March 2021.

D. Brad Talton Jr, the designer behind the game, had this to say:

“As fans of the original video game, we worked hard to capture the tension between the Survivors and the Killer on every turn. The moment when you commit to your move and then have to hold your breath while the Killer makes their play—to me that’s the essence of Dead by Daylight.”

Are you interested in a Dead by Daylight board game? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

The post Dead by Daylight Getting a Board Game Adaptation appeared first on COGconnected.

Batora: Lost Haven has a solid foundation that needs a bit of work to really reach that next level. I enjoyed my time with the preview build currently available as part of Steam Next Fest. Still, there are a few areas, particularly when it comes to performance, that could use some touching up.

Batora: Lost Haven has you playing as Avril, who was gifted with great power and must use that power to save her planet. The premise isn’t wholly original, but the writing seemed solid enough in the brief time I’ve spent with the game so far.

Quite the Looker

What did immediately jump out is the art direction. I like how the game looks, and I really like the character designs. The human girl Avril sticks out amongst the more alien designs of other NPCs. The juxtaposition is wonderful and really makes Avril seem like the alien she technically is.

However, I didn’t find the level design to have the same care placed on it. It certainly isn’t bad; it just doesn’t do enough to feel alien. Not bad at all; it just isn’t as good as the character designs.

Batora: Lost Haven is an action RPG with a slight twist. Avril was gifted with the power of the sun and moon, and the player can switch between these at any time for combat and to solve puzzles. I like the idea of this, and it adds an extra layer to combat. Each enemy you face is vulnerable to one of your two attack methods. If they are yellow, go sun. Purple, go moon.

Switching Things Up

This does cause you to constantly switch forms and allow you to target and focus on specific enemies you want out of the way first. I do find the enemies a little tanky for an action RPG. I would like smaller enemies that are damaged by either power just to keep combat a little more fluid.

You also switch forms to solve different puzzles. They were pretty simple and nothing I haven’t seen a hundred times before. Hit levers in the correct order to form a bridge. Shoot a ball to control it and navigate it to a certain point. It was nothing super innovative, but it did the job of switching things up from the combat.

I actually enjoyed the ball puzzle a bit. Primarily because I thought the scenery was kind of trippy when navigating it. I prefer it to hitting switches to form a bridge. I have never had fun doing that kind of puzzle.

Stuttering Action

I would also like to see a boost in performance. That is really the biggest complaint I have with the preview build. My frames would constantly stutter, making it a little hard to play without getting a headache. Thankfully, they have plenty of time to fix that up before launch.

Batora: Lost Haven is launching later this year on PC.

The post Batora: Lost Haven Offers a Double Dose of Action appeared first on COGconnected.

Some Alolan Pokemon will now be available in Pokemon Go on March 1. This news comes from a new Pokemon Presents, which revealed a lot of new Pokemon information.

Legends of Arceus got a free update, the next generation of Pokemon was revealed, and new Alolan Pokemon are coming to Pokemon Go. If you are a fan of Pokemon, this event was a must-watch. There is so much news, and you can’t miss the reveal of a new generation!

It isn’t entirely clear which Pokemon are coming, but it is likely we will get a large cast. The three starters seemed guaranteed based on the trailer. I’m glad my pal Rowlet is making an appearance.

Pokemon Go isn’t really for me, but as far as mobile games go, it is one of the better ones. I’m glad to see it remain so consistently updated. It feels like a true celebration of the history of Pokemon. You have so many Pokemon from many different generations. While I don’t care much for it, I can easily see the appeal of collecting and training your favorite friends. I’ll just stick with the main, console games.

These Alolan Pokemon are arriving on March 1 as a bit of surprise since they were not listed on the roadmap. Niantic hinted at possible surprises and wanted no time actually having a surprise. I’m sure fans aren’t going to complain about even more Pokemon to catch. That is the entire point of the game, after all.

Are you excited for the Alolan Pokemon in Pokemon Go? Are you still enjoying Pokemon Go? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Pokemon gen 9 is coming later this year and is titled Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It feels like maybe there shouldn’t be another big Pokemon game after Legends of Arceus, but hey, more Pokemon. Personally, I just can’t wait for the discussion on the graphics to rage on again for the rest of the year. That’s my favorite part of Pokemon announcements.

Gen 9 was revealed in a new trailer that showcases some regions, towns, and the new starters. I’m interested in learning about some new features, but the game does look very lively from the trailer.

One change that seems to have been implemented is Pokemon are now roaming around towns as well as the wilds. This would go a long way in making the towns feel more alive. These towns are supposedly filled with people and their Pokemon; it would be nice to see more of the Pokemon actually doing stuff.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet looks to be building from Legends of Arceus. The trailer shows what appears to be large open areas, so there is a possibility gen 9 is full open-world. That combined with more lively towns would be a nice jump up for the Pokemon franchise.

I’m just glad Pokemon is finally making big changes. It seems they are done just coasting by and want to make great games again. Pokemon games are almost always fun, but they have grown repetitive. Legends of Arceus was a huge shake-up, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet look to continue that trend.

I am disappointed they are back on the two-game trend again. It’s pointless and just seems greedy. Far from a deal-breaker, but a bit of a disappointment.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are launching late this year on the Nintendo Switch.

What do you think of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Are you ready for more Pokemon? Let us know in the comments below!

Source

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Steam’s President and co-founder Gabe Newell has revealed more information about Valve’s decision to ban the blockchain. Steam is a massive storefront, and them not allowing games with NFTs or cryptocurrency is a huge blow to that style of game.

At the end of the day, Gabe Newell simply doesn’t see the positives of NFTs outweigh the bad actors. This is what he said:

“The people in the space, though, tend to be involved in a lot of criminal activity and a lot of sketchy behaviors. So it’s much more about the actors than it is about the underlying technology.”

He feels these people just exist to rip people off or partake in money laundering. Steam may allow a lot of nonsense on the storefront, but they have made a stand against NFTs.

Steam also had a bad time when they did accept cryptocurrency. Gabe found the prices constantly fluctuating, and most of the transactions were fraudulent. This is what he had to say:

“Like, why did I spend $497 one day to buy a game, and the next day I spent 47 cents, what’s going on here? Volatility is a bad thing in a medium of exchange.”

I’m glad Gabe and Valve have taken a stand here. It is clear that right now, NFTs simply don’t add anything worthwhile to games. It isn’t worth ruining the user experience. It will be interesting to see if Valve sticks to their position going forward.

Are you glad Steam has banned NFTs from the storefront? Do you think NFTs have anything to add to games? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

The post Gabe Newell Explains Steam’s Ban on NFTs appeared first on COGconnected.

Life is Strange: True Colors now has a physical edition available on the Switch. If you’ve been holding out for this, now is the perfect time to give the game a try. We thought the game was absolutely fantastic. If you want a great adventure game to take on the go, this is one to consider.

Whether you want to play on the TV or handheld, True Colors on the Switch should fit your needs. I would certainly consider it over the Life is Strange Remastered collection. Unfortunately, that collection didn’t turn out too great.

Life is Strange: True Colors puts the players in the shoes of Alex Chen, a young woman with the secret ability to absorb and manipulate the intense emotions of others. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, she must embrace her volatile power to find the truth — and reveal dark secrets buried by the town.

True Colors really plays up to the strength of the franchise. Being in a small town and constantly talking to the same people really build a connection to the town. Learning the relationship of the town and its citizens never gets old.

Now you can experience this fantastic story with a physical edition while relaxing with your Switch. It is certainly one story worth experiencing.

Life is Strange has been on the rise lately. The new collection, True Colors, and a TV show is on the way. Fans of the series are certainly being catered to at the moment.

Source: Press Release

The post Life Is Strange: True Colors Psychical Switch Edition Out Now appeared first on COGconnected.

Starting today, a demo for the puppet survival horror game My Friendly Neighborhood is available. The demo is a part of Steam Next Fest and will be available only until February 28. If a puppet-based horror game sounds like your thing, make sure to check out the demo while it is still available.

My Friendly Neighborhood demo will have players playing as Gordon, who is stuck in the studio’s basement and is given friendly (?) advice by Ricky the Sock that leads Gordon on the search for an old, possibly broken, elevator. Players must explore the basement, juggle ammo limitations, strategically tape not-so-friendly neighbors to the ground, and avoid a very grumpy puppet named Ray.

Key features:

• A colorful cast of puppet friends turned adversaries (and maybe turned friends again!)
• Non-linear, survival horror gameplay. Make sure to check your map!
• Unique weapons like the Rolodexer. Do you know your ABCs? You better – it’s your ammo
• An array of puzzles in the vein of the survival horror greats
• A multitude of diverse environments, from the “BTS” Ray’s Workshop to cardboard crayon halls
• A grid-based real-time inventory, cause that’s just way better

If you are into horror games, the demo of My Friendly Neighborhood is a no-brainer. It has some of the hallmarks of a great horror game, and a free demo is a perfect way to try it out. You can see if the game is up your alley, and you don’t have to pay a dime.

What do you think of My Friendly Neighborhood? Are you going to give the demo a try? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Press Release

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