S.O.P.H.I.A.
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Posts posted by S.O.P.H.I.A.
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The next fighter for Warner Bros.'s platform fighter MultiVersus is scaring his way into the roster soon. WB and Player First Games dropped a new trailer focusing on Beetlejuice--the bodacious "bio-exorcist" from the 1989 film of the same name--who will join the playable roster next week.
Beetlejuice is an Assassin-class character in MultiVersus, which focuses on dealing lots of damage while constantly moving around the arena. The trailer highlights multiple moves from Beetlejuice's wacky repertoire, including his ability to shape-shift and an aerial attack where he summons a Sandworm through a magically materialized door. We also see a brief flash of "Beetlejuice! 1/3" after he scores a KO, which indicates a power revolving around saying his name three times--or the way he's usually summoned to someone's side.
Beetlejuice's trademark quick wit is also intact, as we hear multiple quips from the Ghost With The Most as he fights through the roster. At one point, we hear him telling himself to "keep it together in front of Wonder Woman," while in another he says that Harley Quinn "seems like [his] kind of cuckoo" while the two work together to pummel Samurai Jack.
The trailer also gives a brief glimpse at a few of Beetlejuice's alternate costumes, which include a neon-lined suit and a matador outfit. Also, a few current roster members will also be receiving Beetlejuice-inspired variants, with The Joker, Agent Smith, Superman, and Jake The Dog among those shown wearing his signature black-and-white stripes.
MultiVersus is available now as a free download on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Beetlejuice will become available for purchase on August 20.
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Most people probably have a couple of video game consoles hooked up to their TV. But Ibrahim Al-Nasser is not like most people. The Saudi Arabian has connected 444 systems to a single television, making him the Guinness World Records holder for the feat.
But how exactly are hundreds of consoles working on a single TV when most these days have only a few HDMI ports--let alone the fact old systems used different connections? According to Guinness World Records, Ibrahim utilizes roughly 30 RC switchers, 12 HDMI switchers, and other devices. Additionally, he created an Excel spreadsheet to help navigate everything, which he shows off in a video (seen below) posted on X.
Ibrahim Al-Nasser from Saudi Arabia has connected over 400 different games consoles to one TV
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) August 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/n9ETwfpyI5Ibrahim has current-gen consoles like the PS5 connected to the TV, as well as 1972's Magnavox Odyssey. Other systems hooked up include Nintendo 64, Neo Geo, and Wii U. To get to 444, he also has plug-and-play devices and HDMI game sticks linked up to the TV, according to Guinness World Records.
As for what his favorite is, Ibrahim doesn't hesitate to say Sega Genesis. "For me, the best gaming console of all time, No. 1 always, forever, Sega Genesis," he said.
This is not the first time Guinness World Records has celebrated video games. In 2021, YouTuber and modder Gunnar Turnquist was honored for creating the world's smallest Nintendo 64, for instance. Before then, in 2019, Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was awarded by Guinness for having the most followers on Twitter (now named X) and Instagram as a video game director.
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Arkham Horror has already excelled in the world of board and card games thanks to its Lovecraftian landscape, wonderfully balanced cooperative campaigns, a wide array of challenges to tackle strategically, and compelling storylines filled with memorable characters. Arkham Horror has now turned its haunted gaze to the world of tabletop RPGs, as Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game is now available on store shelves. One notable aspect of this release: It's much cheaper than many other tabletop RPG core sets.
Like most TTRPGs, each campaign in Arkham Horror requires a considerable time investment. But if you already play the Arkham Horror board game, which generally takes two to three hours to complete, you're probably used to lengthy sessions. The difference here is you almost certainly won't finish a run in one marathon session. The game is broken up into 10 scenes that take around an hour each. It's designed for 10 sessions, but current Arkham Horror players will probably have no issue playing a few scenes in one sitting.
Most of the story will be unraveled as you play and is dictated by the game master and your team's choices, but it starts with a mysterious force entering the city of Arkham. You and your team must figure out what it wants and put a stop to it before it destroys the entire world. No pressure.
If you've played the stellar Arkham Horror board or card games, this sounds like a cool way to spend time in this world from a new angle. It's far too early to say if the tabletop RPG will reach similar heights as the other games in the series--and the best tabletop games evolve over time with differentiated expansions and campaigns to keep things fresh--the Dynamic Pool System sounds like it could keep Hungering Abyss engaging for numerous campaigns.
Arkham Horror: The Roleplaying Game can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge of the franchise or TTRPGs, which makes it an affordable and approachable introduction to the TTRPG genre for horror fans.
If you're interested in adding more Arkham Horror content to your game night, you've got no shortage of options. The Arkham Horror: Board Game is on sale for $64 (was $80), making this a good time to add it to your collection. The Arkham Horror: Card Game is also on sale for 20% off, and it's an even better option in terms of overall content, as you'll find tons of expansion packs that shake up the game's core formula.
Here's a look at some of your expansion options for the board game, card game, and Eldritch Horror, a strategy board game that will appeal to fans of Arkham Horror and is also inspired by Lovecraft. Speaking of Lovecraft, fans should check out the gorgeous new editions of the manga adapted from some of Lovecraft's most popular work.
Arkham Horror: Board Game
The Arkham Horror Board Game - Arkham Horror: Board Game -- $64 ($80)
- The Dead of Night Expansion -- $28 ($
33) - Under Dark Waves Expansion -- $43 ($
60) - Secrets of the Order Expansion -- $33 ($
39)
Arkham Horror: Card Game
The Arkham Horror Card Game - Arkham Horror: Card Game (Revised Core Set) -- $48 ($
60) - Arkham Horror: Card Game -- $20
- The Dunwich Legacy Campaign Expansion -- $61 ($
70) - The Dunwich Legacy Investigator Expansion -- $33 ($
45) - The Path to Carcosa Campaign Expansion -- $48 ($
70) - The Path to Carcosa Investigator Expansion -- $38
- The Feast of Hemlock Vale Campaign Expansion -- $55 ($
70) - The Feast of Hemlock Vale Investigator Expansion -- $41 ($
45) - The Forgotten Age Campaign Expansion -- $65 ($
70) - The Forgotten Age Investigator Expansion -- $42
- The Circle Undone Campaign Expansion -- $47 ($
70) - The Circle Undone Investigator Expansion -- $45
- The Dream-Eaters Investigator Expansion -- $40 ($
45) - The Dream-Eaters Campaign Expansion -- $70
- The Scarlet Keys Investigator Expansion -- $50
- The Scarlet Keys Campaign Expansion -- $50
Eldritch Horror
The Eldritch Horror Board Game - Eldritch Horror: Board Game -- $56
- Forsaken Lore Expansion -- $21 ($
28) - Masks of Nyarlathotep Expansion -- $40 ($
55) - Mountains of Madness Expansion -- $38 ($
50) - The Dreamlands Expansion -- $45 ($
55) - Cities in Ruin Expansion -- $26 ($
28) - Under the Pyramids Expansion -- $50 ($
55) - Strange Remnants (Expansion -- $34
- Signs of Carcosa Expansion -- $27
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An ambitious-sounding Call of Duty mod is coming this week, ushering in what its developers describe as a recreation of the original Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer experience "with new twists." Some fans, however, are concerned that Activision will step in and shut the whole thing down like it did with the fan-made Call of Duty SM2 mod in 2023.
The mod is for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, and it includes numerous maps (50+ in total), an updated progression system, more camos, and custom attachments. The killstreaks you remember from Modern Warfare 2 are in the mod, too.
There is a lot of excitement and hype around this mod, in part because 2020's Modern Warfare II Remastered was campaign-only and did not include any multiplayer support. At the time, Activision's explanation for why it didn't release a multiplayer experience left a lot of people shaking their heads and trying to understand. And now, Call of Duty fans are taking matters into their own hands and doing it themselves.
The H2M mod, as it's called, requires a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, which was originally released in 2017. The mod launcher will arrive on August 16.
To install H2M-Mod, you will need to own Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. Presumably due to the great anticipation for the mod's release, Modern Warfare Remastered has surged up the sales charts and currently sits at No. 3 overall on Steam's top-sellers chart. Black Ops 6, the next entry in the series that's due out this October, is No. 15, for comparison.
The H2M mod includes all the Modern Warfare Remastered maps, as well as original MW2 maps that the community creators brought forward. Additionally, some of the campaign play spaces from the MW2 Campaign Remastered release are playable in the mod as custom maps.
As for progression, the modders said there will be 70 ranks to make your way through and 10 prestige levels. After prestige 10, players can work their way up to level 1000.
In other Call of Duty news, Activision will reveal what's next for Black Ops 6 during the Call of Duty Next event on August 28. Shortly after that, the Black Ops 6 beta begins on August 30.
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Xbox has announced a new update for Game Bar, its gameplay overlay feature that lets players capture video footage and manage their games. It's called Compact Mode and it's currently only available for Xbox Insiders currently enrolled in PC Gaming Preview--at east for ow.
Compact Mode simplifies the Game Bar and makes it easier to use on small screens, controllers, and Windows handhelds. All players have to do is go to "Settings," then under "General," turn on the "Compact Mode" toggle.
Xbox Game Bar in Compact Mode In Compact Mode, players can use a controller to easily switch between widgets with the left and right bumpers, as well as view any running and recently played games on the Home widget. Game lauchers such as Steam, EA Play, and Ubisoft Connect can also be easily accessed.
Additionally, players can now quit a game by going to the Home widget, selecting it, and then pressing close. This is a faster way to do so than quitting from the game itself or going back to the desktop or home screen.
Xbox Game Bar is one of the easier ways to record gameplay while playing on PC, and this new update now makes the feature more intuitive for smaller screens. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also now available on other devices like Fire TV 4K Sticks, which means a console isn't even required to play Xbox games.
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We now have a release date for the upcoming, current-gen version of Supermassive Games' slasher horror Until Dawn.
The game will arrive on both PC and PlayStation 5 this autumn, on 4th October. What better way to get yourself ready for the run up to halloween than doing your utmost to save that poor group of unsuspecting teens from the horrors of the night.
In addition to announcing a release date, the Until Dawn team has also shared a few details about how it has enhanced the game with changes to graphics, gameplay, story elements and "more". Before I get into all that, though, you can check out a new trailer for Until Dawn showing off some comparisons between the remaster and original below.
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We now have a release date for the upcoming remaster of Supermassive Games' slasher horror Until Dawn.
The game will arrive on both PC and PlayStation 5 this autumn, on 4th October. What better way to get yourself ready for the run up to halloween than doing your utmost to save that poor group of unsuspecting teens from the horrors of the night.
In addition to announcing a release date, the Until Dawn team has also shared a few details about how it has enhanced the game with changes to graphics, gameplay, story elements and "more". Before I get into all that, though, you can check out a new trailer for Until Dawn showing off some comparisons between the remaster and original below.
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Sony and Ballistic Moon have confirmed that the remake of Until Dawn will officially launch on October 4 for PS5 and PC. A remake of the 2015 horror game that Supermassive Games originally developed, Until Dawn tells the story of a group of friends stuck on Blackwood Mountain and forced to make tough decisions as they attempt to survive a terrible night.
If you're looking to see just how much of a difference there is between the game, you can check out the trailer below showing off a comparison between the gamess.
For the remake, Ballistic Moon said that its intention has not been to alter the events of the game, but to give it instead a "cinematic update" while also offering players a "more intimate experience" through the enhanced visuals. Remade entirely in Unreal Engine 5, Until Dawn has updated character models, environments, interactable props, visual effects, and animations alongside artistic changes to create a more-atmospheric horror story.
You can also expect the game to be more gruesome, as the developer says modern pre-rendering simulation techniques have allowed it to create "realistic real-time fluids" and more convincing injuries for the cast.
The one big change that players can expect is a reworked prologue, as Ballistic Moon has made adjustments to the narrative pacing of the game's opening to give specific characters more screen time. There'll also be new collectibles to discover in the form of Hunger Totems--these add extra context and detail to the world of Until Dawn--and there'll be a range of accessibility settings to tinker with.
October is shaping up to be the month of horror-game-remake showdowns, as Until Dawn will be launching mere days before Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 arrives on October 8. Fans of the horror genre can also look forward to A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead (October 17), RetroRealms: Halloween and its groovy characters (October 18), the Shadows of the Damned remaster (October 31), and a new Indie Horror Showcase from DreadXP and The Mix on October 24.
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Among Us developer InnerSloth has announced a collaboration with Dungeons and Dragons web series Critical Role.
This collaboration means players can now bedeck their little space beans with a number of items worn by those intrepid members from Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, or Bells Hells. I am talking about Artagan's Incredible Brows Visor or the Dust of Deliciousness Nameplate, to name but two.
"Getting to work alongside the wonderful crew of the hit TTRPG show Critical Role to bring some of their magic to Among Us for Gilmore's Curious Cosmicube has been mind blowing," InnerSloth said. "Be sure to go to our in-game store and spend some Stars before the Cosmicube is gone."
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Diablo 4 Season 5 is in full swing, but one of its best changes, guaranteed ways to earn greater affix items, wasn't working properly--until the game's most recent hotfix, that is.
The current season, dubbed Season of the Infernal Hordes, introduced a new endgame activity of the same name that sees players battling against waves of enemies, all the while selecting boons and banes in between waves that modify gameplay. One of the most-lucrative rewards for this activity is the ability to choose a Greater Equipment Chest as a reward: one that houses an item guaranteed to have at least one greater affix.
We have released a new hotfix this morning to address runeshards not dropping in NMDs and the Greater Affix items not being guaranteed in Infernal Horde 60 Aether chests.
— Adam Fletcher (@PezRadar) August 13, 2024
We will more than likely have at least one more hotfix in the coming days.https://t.co/f7xw33x09GGreater affixes were added as part of Diablo 4's Loot Reborn update, and are items with one or more stats that are even higher than normal, making them highly sought after by players looking to optimize their characters to the max. Prior to Season 5, finding these rare items was entirely based on luck, making a guaranteed way to obtain them a godsend for min-maxing players. The only issue is those "guaranteed" sources of the items in Season 5 weren't actually always granting players a greater affix item.
Thankfully, the third hotfix of the season, released on August 13, makes it so sources of guaranteed greater affix items--namely, certain Reputation rewards as well as Greater Equipment Chests--will now drop the powerful items as intended. The hotfix addresses a few other issues as well, like the fact that one-handed maces bought from the Purveyor of Curiosities were always of Legendary quality, runeshards not dropping in Nightmare dungeons as intended, and an issue with Tier 4 Infernal Compasses found outside of the Infernal Hordes activity not having appropriate affixes.
Diablo community development director Adam Fletcher said in a post on X that players can likely expect one additional hotfix for Season 5 in "the coming days," but did not elaborate on what that hotfix might address.
Diablo 4 Season 5 will be shorter than normal to make way for the game's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. The expansion will introduce a new class, the Spiritborn, as well as a new zone and endgame activities. Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, and Season 6, will begin on October 8.
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Nintendo Switch 2 won't launch before April 2025, per a report online that Eurogamer understands to be correct.
The next console from Nintendo is still officially unannounced, though developers have been prepping games to be ready for its launch for some time. Nintendo initially wanted to launch Switch 2 in late 2024, but has since shifted its internal plans - firstly without ruling out a Q1 2025 date.
Now, however, developers have been told not to expect Switch 2 this current financial year, which ends on 31st March 2025.
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Valve is making some changes to written store page descriptions on Steam.
Starting in "early" September, the Steam team (the dream team's lesser known cousin) will be "enforcing new rules for what can and cannot be included in your written store page descriptions".
These changes are coming into force due to a recent "trend", as Valve describes it, that has seen a number of developers using their store page descriptions as a platform to "present information or links" to other places.
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The massive world of Warhammer 40,000 has seen a whole lot of adaptations into video games, covering genres from third- and first-person shooters to turn-based strategy. For the latter, Fanatical has the massive Build Your Own Battles: Warhammer 40,000 Battles bundle. It's full of PC games and DLC, giving you plenty of opportunities to wage war with games you can snag for as little as $2.50 each. You can get the entire bundle of games and DLC packs, 18 in total, for $45.
The centerpieces of the bundle are Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War; Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach; Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon; and Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector. Each is a massive turn-based strategy game, made even bigger by a ton of DLC--you can get seven different add-ons for Gladius, three for Sanctus Reach, and four for Battlesector. The bundle also includes the DLC Pack for Armageddon, which includes its five add-ons in one package.
Like other Fanatical bundles, the Build Your Own Battles bundle is mix-and-match, meaning you can pick up as much or as little Warhammer 40k as you like. The more you add to your bundle, however, the lower the individual price for each game. You can snag three games or DLC add-ons for $3.33 each ($10 total), five games for $3 each ($15 total) or eight or more games and DLC for $2.50 each. There's no upper limit on how many games you can add to your bundle, and once you've picked more than eight, the price is $2.50 each for the lot.
Fanatical also has a deal on the next major Warhammer game, third-person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, which is due out on September 9 on PC--or September 5, if you preorder one of the pricier editions. Preordering the game knocks 12% off the price, regardless of which edition you snag, which brings the base price down to $52.79. You can also check out our Space Marine 2 preorder guide for even more options. And if you're looking forward to Space Marine 2, check out the Space Marine board game, which is a Target exclusive and discounted to $32 this week for Circle members. And if you really love Warhammer, Secretlab is releasing a special-edition Ultramarines variant of its popular Titan Evo gaming chair next month.
Disclosure: Fanatical and GameSpot are both owned by Fandom.
Fanatical Build Your Own Bundle: Warhammer 40,000 Battles
- Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon
- Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon DLC Pack
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector Daemons of Khorne DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector Tyranid Elites DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector Blood Angels Elites DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Fortifications Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Reinforcement Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Assault Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Specialist Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Escalation Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Demolition Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Gladius Firepower Pack DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach
- Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach Horrors of the Warp DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach Legacy of the Weirdboy DLC
- Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach Sons of Cadia DLC
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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 looks to be one of the most exciting upcoming video game releases, but fans can already get their Tyranid-slaying fix thanks to the Space Marine board game adaptation, which is exclusive to Target and 20% off along with a long list of other tabletop games. The deal drops the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine: The Board Game to $32 (was $40), and is eligible for free shipping. To get the lower price, you will need to make a free Target Circle account and sign in before adding the game to your cart. The discount will then automatically apply during checkout.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine takes the basic conceit of the Space Marine video games--a lone Space Marine facing down overwhelming hordes of Tyranid aliens--and turns it into a two-player board game with rules based on the original 40K tabletop wargame. One player controls the Space Marine Lieutenant Titus of the Ultramarines Chapter, and the other commands an army of Tyranids in asymmetric matches that last around 30 minutes. The box includes a grid-based playmat, rulebook, dice, ruler, one Lieutenant Titus miniature, and 22 Tyranids. Each miniature comes unassembled and unpainted just like in standard Warhammer 40,000 tabletop sets, giving new players a taste of what it's like to build and customize their own army. The minis are also compatible with the standard Warhammer 40K tabletop game.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine: The Board Game GalleryWhile this deal is an excellent chance to grab Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and dip into the world of Warhammer tabletop, several other board games are also eligible for the 20% Target Circle discount, including Star Wars Villainous, Disney Villainous, Betrayal At House On The Hill, and more. Check the list below for a selection of our favorite games in the sale, or head over to Target to see all the deals.
If you haven't preordered Space Marine 2, you can save on PC preorders at Fanatical (a GameSpot sister site). Console players should check out our Space Marine 2 preorder guide for more details on editions and preorder bonuses. Warhammer fans should also check out Secretlab's Warhammer Ultramarines gaming chair, which looks great and is part of the excellent Titan Evo series.
Target Circle 20% off board games
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine -- $32 (
$40) - Betrayal At House On The Hill -- $44.79 (
$56) - Disney Villainous -- $24 (
$30) - Exploding Kittens: Good vs Evil -- $16 (
$20) - Horrified: Greek Monsters -- $26 (
$32.49) - Planted -- $22.39 (
$28) - Star Wars Villainous -- $19.19 (
$24) - Tetris board game -- $12.63 (
$15.79)
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine -- $32 (
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When Minecraft came out over a decade ago, exploring underground was already spooky, but it was pretty monotonous; lava and the rare diamond block were the most exciting things to see. Nowadays, though, heading underground is a much more exciting experience. Caves are far more varied and interesting, and there are even deep-buried Ancient Cities to loot--if you can avoid the Warden.
There are dozens of biome types and subtypes aboveground, but below ground you'll find fewer biomes and more danger.
Note: This guide focuses on the Bedrock version of Minecraft, available on Windows 10, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile.
Dripstone Caves
Dripstone caves are, as the name suggests, full of dripstone stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites crawling up from the floor. Dripstone is useful for a variety of applications, like a self-replicating lava farm, and can be used as spikes to damage players and mobs. Copper spawns in comparatively large amounts in dripstone caves.
Lush Caves
Lush caves are a stunning addition to Minecraft's subterranean world. For a long time, Minecraft caves all kind of looked the same--stone for ages, with little patches of desirable blocks like iron ore and diamonds scattered about. Lush caves, however, are packed with plant life. They're covered by moss blocks, moss carpet, azalea bushes, grass, and flowers on the ground. From above, you can find glowberries--both a fruit and a source of light--along with vines and spore blossoms. Shallow ponds generate with dripleaf plants and, sometimes, axlotls.
Deep Dark
Deep Dark caves are where things get scary. These dark caves generate mostly in the layers where stone turns to deepslate. You'll find sculk sensors and shriekers, which can summon wardens. The Deep Dark is also where Ancient Cities spawn, and are a source of enchanted golden apples and a rare music disc, among other treasures. No mobs aside from wardens spawn here, but wardens can kill you nearly instantly even when you're fully armored in Netherite, so take care when exploring this biome.
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Arrowhead Game Studios has acknowledged Helldivers 2's recent Escalation of Freedom update "didn't hit [its] target" following significant criticism from the community, and it's detailed the steps its taking to address core areas of complaint over the next 60 days.
Helldivers 2's latest round of community unrest followed the launch of last week's major Escalation of Freedom update, which featured headline additions including new mission objectives and enemies. However, it's some under-the-hood balance tinkering that's proven particularly controversial, with nerfs to the popular FLAM-40 flamethrower - which has significantly reduced its effectiveness against Chargers - drawing considerable ire.
Various senior team members have already acknowledged player feedback - Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani drew parallels with a similarly unpopular balance update released in April (thanks PC Gamer), confirming the studio was already discussing "what we can do to avoid this situation again" - but now the developer is ready to offer a more formalised plan of attack.
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Cast your mind back to the murky distant past of 24 hours ago and you might remember publisher Boss Team Games teasing two projects based on John Carpenter's Halloween. Well, it turns out one of those is a 16-bit-style platformer from Shantae developer WayForward, and the studio's creating an Ash vs Evil Dead platformer too.
As reported by IGN, Boss Team (which previously published Saber Interactive's now-defunct Evil Dead: The Game) is releasing both titles as part of its new RetroRealms series. The publisher describes its first two instalments as "gore-filled" and "fast-paced 90's arcade style" platfomers, and you can get a taste of their retro-inspired action in the trailer below.
RetroRealms: Halloween and RetroRealms: Ash vs Evil Dead are both set to launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch on 18th November, and they'll cost $24.99 USD (around £20) each. A $49.99 physical Double Feature bundle is also on the way, with Boss Team noting players owning both games will unlock new features, including the ability for protagonists Michael Myers and Ash Williams to cross over to each others' worlds.
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Developer Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation is, of course, a stone-cold horror classic, so it only seems right the movie series it's based on would finally get around to paying it some dues. Which is exactly what Fede Álvarez, the director of new movie Alien: Romulus, has done by sneaking in a whole bunch of Isolation-inspired phones.
As fans of the sci-fi horror masterpiece will already known, telephones play a prominent role in Alien: Isolation, serving as save points scattered intermittedly throughout the nail-biting, Xenomorph-dodging adventure. "In the game," Álvarez told Total Film (via VGC), "every time you knew there's a phone you'd go, 'Fuck, I'm about to go into some bad set-piece.'"
And it's in that spirit Álvarez, tipping his hat to Alien: Isolation, elected to plaster emergency telephones all over his new movie, sneaking them into frame like an omen of imminent horrors to come. "It's the same thing here," he continued. "You'll see they're planted strategically throughout the film. When you see the phone, it's like: brace for impact... The movie is set up in a way [that] every time something bad is about to happen, you will see a phone."
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Developer Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation is, of course, a stone-cold horror classic, so it only seems right the movie series it's based on would finally get around to paying it some dues. Which is exactly what Fede Álvarez, the director of new movie Alien: Romulus, has done by sneaking in a whole bunch of Isolation-inspired phones.
As fans of the sci-fi horror masterpiece will already known, telephones play a prominent role in Alien: Isolation, serving as save points scattered intermittedly throughout the nail-biting, Xenomorph-dodging adventure. "In the game," Álvarez told Total Film (via VGC), "every time you knew there's a phone you'd go, 'Fuck, I'm about to go into some bad set-piece.'"
And it's in that spirit Álvarez, tipping his hat to Alien: Isolation, elected to plaster emergency telephones all over his new movie, sneaking them into frame like an omen of imminent horrors to come. "It's the same thing here," he continued. "You'll see they're planted strategically throughout the film. When you see the phone, it's like: brace for impact... The movie is set up in a way [that] every time something bad is about to happen, you will see a phone."
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A number of developers believe the next Nintendo console may not be released until well into 2025.
While speaking on the GI Podcast, journalist Christopher Dring sought to clear up a popular rumor that Nintendo's successor to the Switch may be released by the end of this fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2025.
"No developer I have spoken to expects it to launch in this financial year. In fact, they've been told not to expect it in this financial year. A bunch of people I spoke to hope it's out in April/May."
Nintendo's upcoming console release date has been in question for some time now. It was previously expected out by the end of 2024, only to be reportedly pushed back to early 2025. Recent reports suggest that it's unlikely for the upcoming console to launch before April 2025.
Earlier this year, Nintendo announced that it will reveal the Switch 2 by the end of this fiscal year. The new console is reportedly similar to the original Switch, which is interesting considering the changes from previous consoles like the Wii U to the Switch.
The original Nintendo Switch was launched in 2017. Since then, various versions of the console have been made, including the Switch Lite and, more recently, the Switch OLED. The upcoming console may use Nvidia's custom variant T239 processor, which is capable of running Death Stranding at 1080p while maintaining 35fps.
For more information on what to expect on Nintendo's upcoming console, check out our story detailing everything we know about the Switch successor.
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Introducing Compact Mode
We are excited to announce that Compact Mode is now available in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders. Compact Mode is a new experience that simplifies Game Bar, making it more intuitive and easier to navigate on small screens, Windows handhelds, and when playing with a controller. To use this feature, open Game Bar, go to the Settings widget, under General, and turn on the “Compact Mode” toggle.
Better navigation on small screens and more
With Compact Mode enabled, access to widgets and navigation is simplified to ensure you can get access to the content you want as easily as possible. When using a controller, you can switch between widgets quickly with left and right bumpers (LB/RB).
On the Home widget, you can view any running games and recently played games. You can also access common game launchers installed on your system such as Xbox, Steam, Battle.net, EA Play, Riot Games, and Ubisoft Connect.
You can now quit a game that is running by going to the Home widget and selecting the game and pressing close, a faster way than quitting from the game or navigating out to Desktop. In addition, you can leverage the Resource widget to quickly see what other applications are using your device’s resources and close them.
When the focus is on a widget icon in the navigation, you can open the widget’s settings or close the widget.
Finally, you can access the Widget Store and open any installed widget by going to the widgets menu.
How to access Compact Mode on Windows gaming handheld PCs
For devices that support custom physical button mapping, you can map a button to the WIN+G keyboard shortcut. Please refer to your device’s onboarding instructions on how to remap a physical button. To access Game Bar on your desktop, search for “Game Bar” in the taskbar and right click to pin to taskbar.
Share your feedback
A new survey is available here or in the Xbox Insider Hub (open or install here for players enrolled in the PC Gaming preview) to give us your feedback on Compact Mode for Game Bar on Windows PCs while it is on preview. As a reminder, you can always give us suggestions for the app or leave feedback by going to the Settings widget, under Feedback, use the Game Bar feedback link. We look forward to hearing from you as we work to bring more enhancements to Compact Mode for you to enjoy seamless Xbox gaming experiences across all your Windows devices.
How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, you can provide direct feedback to Team Xbox by following the steps here under the “Report a problem online” section.
If you aren’t part of the Xbox Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.
For more information on the Xbox Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding the PC Gaming Preview.
Note: This feature is being made available to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview.
The post Compact Mode is now in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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Blizzard may have just inadvertently revealed a new feature coming in World of Warcraft's new The War Within expansion: the ability for Dracthyr to be classes other than Evoker.
In the most-recent episode of the WoWCast, Blizzard shared an image of the game's new account-wide Warbands login screen, showing four characters around a campfire. One of the characters in question is a Dracthyr, the humanoid dragon race added as part of the Dragonflight expansion. The Dracthyr are currently only able to be one class, the Evoker, which channels the magical powers of the various dragonflights to deal damage and support allies.
The Dracthyr shown in the WoWCast image, however, is definitely not an Evoker. Rather than using the caster weapons Evokers typically wield, this Dracthyr is wielding two giant axes. That has led players to believe the image actually shows a Dracthyr Warrior, seemingly confirming that the race will have its Evoker-only class restrictions lifted for The War Within's launch or sometime shortly after. Blizzard had previously hinted the Dracthyr would eventually be able to play as different classes, but that the feature would not be included for The War Within's release.
Funnily enough, this isn't the first Warband image Blizzard has shown depicting a non-Evoker Dracthyr. During BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard shared a Warbands interface mockup that featured a Dracthyr wearing leather armor instead of the mail armor worn by Evokers. Blizzard at the time called the inclusion of the leather-wearing Dracthyr an oversight.
Yep, that's definitely a Dracthyr Warrior. As the feature hasn't been officially announced, it's unknown what classes will be available to Dracthyr. Whereas class and race restrictions were once the norm, Blizzard has in the past few years made it so most races are now able to be most classes, though there are still a few exceptions.
The War Within will officially add one new playable race, the Earthen, but many fans believe another, still-unannounced playable race will also be added over the course of the expansion. Other new features coming as part of WoW's 10th expansion includes a new form of endgame content that can be done solo and Hero Talent trees for each class. WoW: The War Within releases on August 26, or three days early on August 23 for those who purchase the game's digital epic or physical 20th anniversary collector's edition.
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Turning raw crops and animal products into artisan goods in Stardew Valley typically increases their sell value. That mostly holds true for truffle oil, which can be made by putting truffles into an oil maker. Truffle oil is worth a good amount of money, and it doesn't take that long to process either. Here's how to make truffle oil in Stardew Valley.
How to make Truffle Oil
Truffle oil is made by processing truffles by using an oil maker. To get truffles you will need to have pigs. The short version is that you will need to build a barn, upgrade the barn to a deluxe barn, buy a pig from Marnie's Ranch, and let it loose on your farm to dig for truffles.
More Stardew Valley guides:
Once you are routinely getting truffles from your pigs, you can build oil makers to process them. Oil makers can be crafted at farming level 8 using 50 slime, 20 hardwood, and one gold bar. Placing a truffle in the oil maker will convert it into truffle oil in six hours, so you can process multiple truffles in a single day.
If you choose the Artisan profession at level 10, which gives all artisan goods a 40% increase in price when you sell them, truffle oil is worth more than a truffle of any quality. That means you can turn any truffle you find into truffle oil without worrying that it isn't worth doing. If you did not pick Artisan, Iridium quality truffles are worth more than truffle oil. Without the boost, Iridium truffles are worth 1,250G and truffle oil is only worth 1,065G. With the boost, truffle oil is worth 1,491G.
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The closed beta for Spectre Divide--a competitive 3v3 multiplayer shooter with a unique gameplay hook--is now live, and if you're looking to jump in, developer Mountaintop Studios has listed two methods to earn a key. The closed beta will be available exclusively on PC via Steam until August 21, and the studio says that if you have played in any of the previous playtests, you'll automatically have access.
The first method for earning closed beta access will be to receive a Spectre Divide drop entry key through an eligible Twitch stream, and once you have it, you'll need to link your Spectre Divide and Twitch accounts. This route will also unlock three exclusive in-game items in the form of a Bad Intentions spray, the Troublemaker Banner, and the Sinister Smile charm.
For the second method, you can request a closed beta access key through the Spectre Divide Steam page, although it's worth noting that Mountaintop will be prioritizing Twitch drops over this method. You can try both methods to boost your chances, and in case you're unlucky, Mountaintop is planning to hold more playtests in the future.
In case you missed it, Spectre Divide uses a novel "one mind, two bodies" duality gameplay system in tandem with tactical gunplay. This feature allows players to freely swap to their doppelganger--the titular Spectre--to outmaneuver other players, and ideally, you can place your Spectre in a specific site to cover certain angles or reinforce teammates, giving you a vital second chance at seizing victory.
Spectre Divide's visual style is inspired by sci-fi comic-book art and classic Japanese cel animation of the '90s to give it a hand-drawn look and feel, and Mountaintop has also hired Twitch star Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek as lead gameplay adviser. Mountaintop has described the game as a love-letter to games like Counter-Strike, and the independent studio plans to self-publish Spectre Divide.
Asus ROG Ally To Get Steam Deck OS Support
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Valve has confirmed that SteamOS--its Linux-based operating system for the Steam Deck handheld gaming PC--will be coming to the Asus ROG Ally. The company also plans to roll out SteamOS to other rival Windows handhelds, although it has noted that third-party support "isn’t ready to run out of the box yet". The confirmation comes after the recent release notes for a recent SteamOS beta update mentioned adding support for "extra ROG Ally keys" in the future.
"The note about ROG Ally keys is related to third-party device support for SteamOS", Valve engineer Lawrence Yang said to The Verge. "The team is continuing to work on adding support for additional handhelds on SteamOS."
While Asus has yet to comment on its ROG Ally being potentially turned into a Steam machine, an update like this would address a major criticism of the handheld. Asus ROG Ally devices use a Windows 11 operating system, and while that does allow for various game clients to be installed, using the OS can be cumbersome as it's optimized for desktops, not thumbs and smaller screens. In comparison, SteamOS is a more fluid and user-friendly experience.
Asus ROG Ally X and Ally Deals
Asus ROG Ally Accessories
65)150)100)100)100)This news comes hot on the heels of the launch of the Asus ROG Ally X, an updated version of last year's ROG Ally. The new model features several quality-of-life upgrades, including faster RAM, an improved battery life, and an increased SSD storage capacity from 512GB to 1TB. If you're looking to grab one and several accessories, you can pick one up for $800 at Best Buy. Alternatively, if you don't mind the shorter battery life and smaller SSD, last year's Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme model is still a powerful handheld and is more affordable at $650.
Using the right accessories, you can even turn an ROG Ally into a compact PC. The charger allows you to hook the handheld up to a TV or monitor, and the Raikiri controller is a pretty stylish piece of equipment. This is available in both standard and pro version, with the more high-end option featuring a small OLED display. Finally, you can grab a pair of Cetra earbuds to stream some audio into your ears. The nice thing about these is that you can use them with a Steam Deck, PC, and more, making these a flexible piece of hardware for your gaming needs.
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