Spice is life, and it's about to flow in full as Dune: Spice Wars prepares to leave Early Access. Developer Shiro Games and publisher Funcom announced plans to bring Version 1.0 to Steam in September 2023. There's also a release trailer to go along with the news. The new preview shows off more of the real-time warfare and the various means of political sabotage at your disposal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZJPQ2dRt-8

Dune: Spice Wars originally launched in Early Access on April 26, 2022. The 4X real-time strategy game tasks players with battling for control over Arrakis. Multiple factions—including House Atreides and House Harkonnen—are available along with key characters from Frank Herbert's novel. 

[caption id="attachment_399159" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Shiro Games[/caption]

Tremors

In addition to controlling spice resources and pulling off acts of subterfuge to expand, you'll need to watch out for sandworms. Ignoring wormsign is a great way to lose your spice harvesters and troops. The number of games featuring any form of giant worm management or warning system in place is shockingly low. We'll take what we can get and consider it a bonus if a quality RTS happens to be attached. 

The folks behind Dune: Spice Wars previously worked on Northgard, a strategy survival game based on Norse mythology. Northgard launched in 2018 and received its latest major update in April 2023. Like Northgard, players seem mostly positive on Spice Wars so far. Hopefully this sandworm will boast a similarly long post-launch tail. 

If you're looking for more on how this one came together, the devs have been fairly active in showing off concept art and other details.

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Bethesda's first new IP in decades, Starfield, launches in September, but unreleased gameplay footage is already making the rounds. However, after sharing almost an hour of Starfield's opening scenes weeks before launch, it seems the source was arrested.

The debacle began at the start of the week when said leaker posted low-quality videos of himself playing Starfield. Most of the original uploads are no longer available. YouTube's takedowns cite copyright claims by ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, and removed within hours of going live early on August 22.

However, this didn't seem to dissuade the original uploader. Additional videos later followed featuring himself with several copies of Starfield for sale ahead of the official release date. The original uploads are gone, but other users reposted some of the videos. One line in particular, "Todd, no offense man, that's a good game," seems to have endeared itself already as new internet lingo.

https://twitter.com/Mr_Rebs_/status/1694124414416060459

Naturally, Starfield leaks drew quite a few critical looks. Many of them grew suspicious as the leaker listed copies of Starfield, along with several other items, on the online store Mercari (where his profile seems to have since been deleted). In a bid to prove authenticity, he posted additional videos of himself sending sealed copies of the game to buyers via FedEx.

Not long after, a record of what appears to be the leaker's arrest emerged via Recently Booked and the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office site, as reported by Kotaku. Booked as 29-year-old Darin Harris, his charges include two theft of property counts - one felony and a misdemeanor. At the moment, there's no official word linking the leaks and charges. However, the person behind them did not seem to conceal their identity.

If they are related, it wouldn't be the first time crimes involving big publishers landed someone in legal trouble. In 2022, a 17-year-old was arrested in the UK for a hacking spree and GTA 6 leaks. HoYoVerse has also pursued individuals over Genshin Impact leaks, seeking information to obtain identifying information through Discord subpoenas.

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Where would we be without Steam? It's easily the most popular way to download and play PC games in the current climate. The developer Valve also treats us to numerous events and sales throughout the year, and the next one is just around the corner.

If you like strategy games, then get ready for Steam Strategy Fest. As the name implies, this will be a celebration of all things tactical. A recent promo video gives a brief hint at what's to come.

https://youtu.be/xYp3ugqPxiA

The event will kick off Monday, August 28 at 10AM Pacific and will go on until September 4, so that's a week in which to get your strategy on (that's a saying, right?)

What's to be expected?

As always, Steam isn't saying absolutely everything about Strategy Fest. Suffice it to say, you can find demos and discounted games on sale throughout the week. As for what's going to be on offer, it's hard to say, but the short video above outlines a few titles that are likely to be included, such as Dune: Spice Wars and The Riftbreaker. Essentially, if this is a genre you're into, you're bound to find something you like.

Considering that we recently had the Visual Novel Fest, and before that the Stealth Fest, Valve does a good job of making sure we all stay tuned into its gaming platform. We can't help ourselves. There's usually something for everyone at these sales events. They make our Steam libraries look nice and bulky, even if they have the opposite effect on our collective wallets and digital bank accounts.

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The paranormal horror game Phasmophobia originally launched on September 18, 2020, on PC where it enjoyed popularity among streamers. Kinetic Games has PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports in the works, but you'll have to wait a little longer than expected before you can get your hands on them. The studio has announced that the game has been delayed, pushing its Early Access console launch from August to October, in the week leading up to Halloween.

https://twitter.com/KineticGame/status/1694849069045194958?t=tRaDEz-xKbFYrOeZT2OxnQ&s=19

As the studio explains on Twitter, the delay is the result of a "fire incident" in its office building, along with "unpredicted development issues." With the extra time gained by the delay, the studio hopes to perfect and fine-tune the ports.

[caption id="attachment_399024" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Kinetic Games.[/caption]

Phasmophobia lands just in time for Halloween

The delay isn't too long, and in the meantime, PC players can enjoy the recently released Ascension update which brings several changes, including a new leveling system with "new rates of progression, new unlocks, and a prestige system," along with several minor bug fixes.

PS5 owners will be happy to know that a PS VR2 version is also in the works, and crossplay will allow friends to play together regardless of what platform they're on. The game has already demonstrated that it is capable of providing a terrifying VR experience thanks to its VR support on PC.

Phasmophobia's minor delay pushes it into an appropriately spooky time, which could end up being a positive for it. However, Phasmophobia will have to contend with several other headliners scheduled for October, including horror titles like Alan Wake 2 and Alone in the Dark.

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GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has had quite an eventful development timeline. Fans were initially excited when the game was announced, though it quickly drew criticism when developers announced that NFTs would be included. The Ukrainian studio backtracked on this, though it then had to contend with the Russian invasion of Ukraine which resulted in the game's delay.

As revealed in a fact sheet from the studio at Gamescom 2023, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been delayed yet again, pushing its release date to Q1 2024. This may be disappointing news but with a new trailer out, you can rest assured that GSC Game World is still working hard on the upcoming game.

[caption id="attachment_398998" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via GSC Game World.[/caption]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's development has been anything but predictable

It was inevitable that the Ukranian studio would be affected by the ongoing conflict, as it was based in Kyiv. When the invasion began, development was paused as the studio relocated to Prague and employees fled the conflict zone. Some decided to stay and fight alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

https://youtu.be/bcDHClWRHd8

The studio has also found itself subject to cyberattacks originating in Russia, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's site was banned from the country after it ceased operations there. Despite the setbacks, the studio has continued to condemn the Russian invasion while embracing its Ukranian roots.

https://twitter.com/stalker_thegame/status/1694655679271690472

On a more positive note, preorders for the game are finally available, which represents some progress. It has also received positive reception at Gamescom 2023 where a playable demo was available, indicating that the long wait might be worth it.

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Larian founder and CEO Swen Vincke has shared an update on its massive RPG Baldur's Gate 3 coming to Xbox. While Baldur's Gate 3 is now looking set to debut on Xbox Series consoles this year, it won't have split-screen co-op for the Series S version.

Vincke announced that, after meeting with Xbox head Phil Spencer, the team found a "solution" to bring Baldur's Gate 3 to Xbox players.

"All improvements will be there, with split-screen coop on Series X," said Vincke. "Series S will not feature split-screen coop, but will also include cross-save progression between Steam and Xbox Series."

Split vision

While no split-screen co-op will disappoint Series S owners, Vincke stated back in June that split-screen would be one of the potential hangups for the Xbox version. He mentioned compromises might need to be made for an Xbox version, and it looks like lack of split-screen on Series S is going to be among them. Microsoft typically requires feature parity between Xbox Series games, but for now this is one bullet point that will stay on Series X. 

In an interview with IGN earlier this week, Spencer had commented on the Baldur's Gate 3 situation. "The decision to do split-screen or not is a creative decision, a dev decision," Spencer said. "So if we think about Forza, it has nothing to do with any kind of hardware thing on S and X, just where they wanted to focus their time." Vincke had previously confirmed to IGN that Xbox had committed some help to Larian in getting BG3 up to scratch on its consoles.

Next up for Baldur's Gate 3 is the PlayStation 5 version. Larian will bring the game to Sony's console on September 6, following an earlier delay.

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AK-xolotl is a game with an elevator pitch built right into its name. The latest from publisher Playstack and developer 2Awesome Studio ranks high on the "we came up with the title first" list, but thankfully, it also looks like a good time. The top-down roguelite shooter now has a date and a trailer showing off its fast-paced fireworks.

This axolotl with an AK rolls into action on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on September 14, 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xteTxUFl2xs

The gunplay in AK-xolotl looks pretty hectic, with some downright bullet hell-style patterns on display. In roguelite fashion, death isn't the end; it's just an excuse to start over, get stronger, and unlock new weapons. It's all accentuated with the help of nice looking pixel art visuals and some impressive sprite work, so hopefully the final game matches that energy. 

Look who's talkin'

Beyond the frantic shooting, AK-xolotl introduces an ally-raising system with the Axolittles. These little baby axolotls can be nurtured and fed until they eventually grow into adorable killing machines of their own. It looks like nurturing may involve putting diapers on them? This is the most I've ever thought about axolotls, much less changing their diapers. 

Based in Barcelona, 2Awesome Studio previously developed cyberpunk action-platformer Aeon Drive and shoot 'em up Dimension Drive. They also handle publishing and porting for a few other titles. If you want to try out their latest and give AK-xolotl a spin, the extended demo is available to play right now on Steam.

The post AK-xolotl, a roguelite shooter about an axolotl with an AK, sets launch date appeared first on Destructoid.

Ticket sales for Genshin Concert 2023 are now underway, and every location that has opened up so far has sold out almost immediately. Genshin Concert is a live orchestral performance showcasing some of the gorgeous music in Genshin Impact. Ticket sales are staggered based on location, with Singapore and Malaysia opening up first.

Both dates for Singapore’s concerts were sold out in a matter of minutes, described by one Reddit user as an “absolute bloodbath.” Malaysia’s ticketing website was overwhelmed entirely, resulting in an error where people couldn’t even join the queue.

It’s not just Asian locations that are mad for tickets though. Two American locations began their own ticket sales shortly thereafter. New York has two concerts, and both of them reached a ticket queue of over 4,000 people within five minutes of opening. At least the website is holding up though! The same can’t be said for the website handling Mexico’s sales, which was still returning a 508 error half an hour after opening.

Other locations in the US, Asia, and Europe have yet to open their ticket sales. Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago tickets open tomorrow. If you’re at all interested in snagging a ticket for yourself, be prepared to camp out early to get your place in the queue and may the Archons be with you.

Ticket Gacha and Scalping

The mad rush for tickets has some people suggesting that ticket sales should be based on a lottery — adding a gacha element to the gacha game’s live concert. The idea is being handled with varying degrees of seriousness, with some users joking about buying multiple tickets for a chance at a VIP seat.

Scalping has already begun too. Sale listings for Singapore and Malaysia tickets have begun appearing on Carousell, a marketplace platform for Southeast Asia. Many of these listings are auction-style, with most bids going much higher than the original selling price.

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Forget Starfield. Let's play something more old school instead. How about The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind? That's a classic Bethesda title, and it's still having mods made for it. But if you want a mix of the two, then we've got you covered on that front.

Before you take to the skies in Starfield, feel free to check out AnyOldName3's contribution to the current trend. Over on Nexus Mods, you'll find a small download for Morrowind that implements the contentious Starfield main menu screen.

[caption id="attachment_398649" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via AnyOldName3/Nexus Mods.[/caption]

That's right, the Starfield menu that has caused an uproar can be a part of one of the best role-playing games of a bygone era. And all before Bethesda's new sci-fi game even hits the shelves.

Shitpost modding is still modding

AnyOldName3's mod is a simple affair, replacing Morrowind's menu screen with Starfield's. If you do want to download it (just for shits and giggles, I guess), you will need OpenMW, as it only works though that.

That's basically all this mod does. As far as we can tell, it's still the same old Elder Scrolls 3. If you want to fundamentally improve or alter Morrowind in any way that's gameplay worthy, there are mods galore for that sort of thing.

As for Starfield, we are inching ever closer to its release date. By now, you've probably heard just about everything there is to know about Bethesda's brand-new IP. But in case you've forgotten, the game will be releasing on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Starfield’s contentious main menu screen comes to Morrowind appeared first on Destructoid.

When it comes to capturing childlike wonder and exploration, few projects do it quite like Lil Gator Game. The humbly-titled adventure made a delight out of exploration, and new content has arrived for those who hunger for more carefree travels.

Playtonic Friends and developer MegaWobble revealed New Game+ mode, baby mode, and updated language support. If you've already made your way through everything, New Game+ will no doubt be among the most exciting. The execution is about what you'd expect from the feature. Hop into your cleared save data and go about the game's quests with the full toolkit and bracelets of power at your disposal.

[caption id="attachment_398518" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Playtonic Friends[/caption]

Baby's day out

True to its name, baby mode lets you play the entire game as the young version of Lil Gator. Embrace youth eternal as you glide around and make new discoveries in the mode, which is available in the settings from the start. Lil Gator Game also added four more translations in the new update. Players can now experience the game in French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish (Latin American). It's all available now, making it a great time to take this gator for a spin if you haven't already. For those who have, a return trip to this quaint, cozy world is an even more attractive option.

Lil Gator Game originally launched in December 2022 and has picked up plenty of fans since its debut. The pressure-free adventure is currently available on Switch and PC. 

The post Lil Gator Game keeps the adventure going with New Game+, baby mode appeared first on Destructoid.

I’m not above being lured in by aesthetic. Draft of Darkness hooked me in with its grainy, pixelated photo manipulation. It looks like a tacky game that followed in the wake of Mortal Kombat. In fact, it would fit right in alongside titles that pushed the limits of tastefulness back in the ‘90s. It’s hypnotic.

In my experience, a well-executed aesthetic can be indicative not necessarily of a game’s quality, but of its inventiveness. Not always, but sometimes. My favorite type of game is one where the developers fucked around and found out. However, that methodology doesn’t always result in an appealing game.

Draft of Darkness is so well-executed in its mechanics that it makes them seem accidental. Aesthetics aside, everything I’ve seen surrounding the game makes it out to be this quiet little project by a solo developer. But when you get into it, you find a well-tuned machine. Yet, while I find myself captivated by it, there is one unavoidable flaw that I think is going to be very divisive for a lot of people: its roguelite backbone.

[caption id="attachment_398531" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Draft of Darkness (PC)
Developer: Crawly Games
Publisher: Crawly Games
Released: August 23, 2023
MSRP: $14.99

Dungeons and daggers

In Draft of Darkness, you pick a survivor from an ever-growing list of them. Each one is proficient with their own type of combat, from the knife-wielding Cara to the Chainsaw-swinging Rene. Each one plays extremely differently.

Draft of Darkness is a deckbuilder roguelite, but it plays a lot like a tabletop RPG. Or rather, it plays like a TTRPG if the GM had lost the will to live and was holding you hostage in a ‘90s metal music video. While your abilities in combat are controlled by the hand of cards you’re dealt, it’s backed by an abilities stat system and heavily reliant on resources you gather. If you’re carrying a chainsaw, you need fuel. If you’re carrying a shotgun, you need shotgun food.

Beyond that, the exploration system feels like something a dungeon master would draw out on grid paper. Each one is randomly generated upon entry and filled with a variety of encounters. They take place in an apartment building, in a factory, or on the streets, but they’re all very much dungeons. Your goal in each on is to try and gather power and resources for your party, then find the boss and escape to the next dungeon.

https://youtu.be/9sZE1xr7wvI

Smack the deck

Despite relying on the luck of the draw to give you a good hand, the combat is extremely deep and nuanced. While characters rely on sparse resources to use their strongest attacks, they always have a weaker alternative. The chainsaw maniac, for example, can deal an incredible amount of damage very quickly but is reliant on gasoline. She can still pull off some powerful attacks without starting her engine, which is best to do on weaker opponents.

Usually, you just want to start eating into your resources when the cards start looking stacked against you, like on bosses. However, there are characters who don’t require resources, like the knife wielders. For them, they can focus on critical hits and combos, but with Cara I liked to rely heavily on the bleeding status effect.

There are a lot of nuanced status effects, and playing certain cards in sequence can give you a huge advantage. There is a tonne of strategy from building your deck carefully so you can exploit even the most unfavorable of hand.

[caption id="attachment_398532" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Feed the TV

To progress through the actual story, however, you need to trigger various encounters. It can take multiple playthroughs and attempts before you gain any ground in the narrative. This is where I think Draft of Darkness is going to miss the connection with a lot of people. It is, at heart, a very slow and methodical game, and that doesn’t really click with the roguelite mentality.

It’s a game that asks you to be very careful about your strategy and resources, and then even when you do so, it’s possible to hit the jagged rocks of a difficult encounter. Since so much of the game is random and there’s very little wiggle room, it’s very easy to get your bones crushed between a rock and a hard place. And that can mean losing hours of progress with very little to show for it.

Specifically, a “complete” run can take three hours. If I wasn’t dying at the beginning from resource starvation, I was dying at the end from sheer blunt-force boss trauma. You’re always given tokens to spend at a store that allows you to unlock additional perks. Otherwise, you'll make progress through the various encounters that unlock characters. The store can allow you to customize your starter deck, but you’re largely starting from square one each time you start over. There are few advantages to be had.

[caption id="attachment_398533" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It's time for plan B

To be fair, Draft of Darkness has an easy mode to help reduce the likelihood of sudden death. If it was such a big problem for me, I don’t know why I didn’t use it. Pride, I guess.

I feel like this is a game that doesn’t benefit from its roguelite trappings. I feel like a more round-based dungeon approach would have suited it better. Complete a map, and move on to the next one.

The mysterious narrative does make good use of the repeated playthroughs, however. The story involves the spread of something called “Darkness” which is used rather nebulously. Sometimes it sounds like a technology, other times a disease, and then others it just sounds like an abstract concept. It goes into a lot of detail without ever being clear on what it’s talking about. The Darkness really just seems to be all of the worst qualities of humanity lumped together. Good intentions marred by greed and paranoia. The inescapable need for progress and prestige. The disgusting aesthetics certainly suit the theme.

[caption id="attachment_398534" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Let the fists speak!

Despite the heartbreak from lost progress, I found myself glued each time I picked up Draft of Darkness. To be clear, you can always quit whenever you want and pick up where you left off. Throughout the review period, I preferred to sit down at the start of the evening and let myself get absorbed in the tacky, rusty visuals. Preferably with a nice greasy slice of pizza to really make things feel like living in the ‘90s.

I say that its successes feel almost accidental, but I know that it’s not true. Draft of Darkness is the result of a lot of careful prototyping and development, as well as inspiration from games like Slay the Spire. Crawly is clearly a developer who knows how to use feedback to create a tighter product.

While I think that the roguelite format is a hindrance on Draft of Darkness overall and will probably be the breaking point for a lot of people, I can’t get past my fascination for the game. While writing this review, I made the mistake of starting the game to make sure I had a few facts straight and started a new run. One hour later, I realized I was supposed to be writing, and had to quite painfully tear myself away. Even right now, Draft of Darkness is just minimized onto my taskbar, lurking and waiting for me to finish my job so it can capture my attention again.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Draft of Darkness appeared first on Destructoid.

Can you survive in the world of The Lord of the Rings? If you've been asking yourself that question your whole life, you'll be able to find out soon enough. Publisher North Beach Games via IGN revealed plans to launch cooperative survival game Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria on October 24, 2023.

When Return to Moria first launches it will be available digitally on PlayStation 5 and PC via Epic Games Store. There will also be a physical release for PlayStation 5 on December 5. Beyond that, an Xbox Series X|S version will follow in early 2024. 

[caption id="attachment_398468" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via North Beach Games[/caption]

The deep places of the world

It's been a while since we first heard about Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. Announced back in June 2022, this one is going for a survival twist as players create their own Dwarf before venturing into the treacherous mines. Players will have to craft superior armor and weapons to tough out the challenges that await in the dark and foreboding locale. Your ultimate goal involves recovering treasures and restoring the mines to their former glory, if you can make it out alive.  

Thankfully, there's at least a little bit of safety in numbers. While you can play Return to Moria solo, there's an online multiplayer component that sounds like the main attraction here. It was also previously confirmed that Tolkien scholar Corey Olsen — AKA The Tolkien Professor — is onboard as a consultant. We'll see how sturdy our Dwarves really are when the mines open on October 24.

The post Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria dated for PS5 and PC, Xbox comes later appeared first on Destructoid.

Since Starfield is being optimized for AMD hardware, it's likely the game won't support any competing upscaling technologies by default. These, of course, being Nvidia's DLSS and Intel's XeSS. Historically, AMD-sponsored video games are usually limited purely to FSR 1.0/2.0, which puts modder PureDark in a unique position.

For context, PureDark is responsible for unofficial implementations of Nvidia DLSS into games that don't support this upscaler by default. This is a huge boon for Nvidia graphics cards owners due to better performance and image quality compared to FSR. The tricky bit, however, is that PureDark has started locking their mods behind a $5 Patreon subscription, and it would seem that they've taken things a step further than ever before by setting up Patreon-based DRM for their modded files.

https://twitter.com/Sebasti66855537/status/1693526622534509024

Starfield's DLSS mod may end up paywalled

PureDark previously announced that they'd have DLSS's frame generation and image upscaling functionality ready for Starfield as soon as possible. Their decision to set up a Patreon authentication system for mods is, therefore, suspiciously timely ahead of Starfield's launch. Given that Starfield's system requirements are reasonably hefty, Nvidia RTX GPU users would naturally hope to leverage DLSS in the game. And searching for this would eventually lead them to PureDark's mods.

There's definitely an argument for crediting modders for their hard work. Comprehensive and valuable feature-level additions like PureDark's DLSS injectors can make a world of difference for players. It's also easy to see why the community might feel rubbed the wrong way by actual DRM in mods. Some reports claim that it's a one-time payment, so PureDark's DLSS mods may not require a persistent subscription.

https://twitter.com/rdmetz/status/1693598201188643199

However, others claim this is not the case at all, and that game patches - which often come in rapid succession - break PureDark's mods on a regular basis. According to Reddit user jackyflc, "everytime a game update releases, the mod breaks and you will have to pay another $5 to resub and download the updated mod."

It's going to be interesting to see whether Nvidia reacts to PureDark's entrepreneurship, of course. While the company appears to have taken a more hands-off approach to DLSS integrations, allowing devs to do it for free, it's possible that PureDark may have stepped on its toes with this development.

The post DLSS modder implements anti-piracy DRM into mods appeared first on Destructoid.

My history with Armored Core started with the very first game on PlayStation. I was enamored by the cover the enticing giant mech on it; and kept it close while I experienced a whole slate of robot-based oddities like G-Nome, and Heavy Gear. From then on, I sought out every subsequent entry, until I finally put it together that From Software – who had also provided me with hours of entertainment with the King's Field series – was responsible for it all. By the time Demon's Souls came out the studio was a worldwide household name, but they were killing it before Souls changed the industry.

With a pedigree like that, you can see why so many people hold Armored Core in such high regard; so I'm happy to report that Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon keeps that legacy going.

[caption id="attachment_398039" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Released: August 25, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Just so that you're current, let's take a deep dive into the Fires of Rubicon lore: Coral is a substance that leads to unprecedented technological advancements. Until it doesn't, and there's a massive fire that destroys everything. Following that, there's a recovery period populated with corps and mercs (that's you!), which is where you come in.

You're caught up! No literally, you're caught up.

That's pretty much all the background you need on Armored Core 6, as the crux of the experience lies with earning money, and buying/mixing/matching parts to form your custom-curated machine of destruction. The narrative goes in circles sometimes (especially with some of the listless pre-mission banter), but it's enough to propel you forward into more mech-based combat and keep you guessing. But really, the world of Rubicon 3 is a fascinating character in its own right. All of the biomes you'll adventure through (whether it's a product of artifice or natural beauty) are fascinating to witness, to the point where I'd definitely be interested in seeing more of this specific universe at some point.

Mission variety generally errs on the side of killing, but there are a few forked paths (in-mission) to follow on occasion, and the environments are varied enough to help funnel you into constant action. While some sandboxes are a little too corralled for my tastes, the illusion of freedom is enough, because of how dang good everything looks. On the flip side, the game's invisible barriers do help prevent mission locations from becoming pointlessly big and barren.

It really helps that Armored Core 6 is absolutely gorgeous. From Software's art department has been putting in work worthy of art books for decades, but they really outdid themselves here. One of the very first missions looked like something I haven't seen in any game this year, and helped cement the fact that this is an unforgiving universe that will crush you on a moment's notice, even if you are piloting a huge killing machine that looks like it came straight out of an anime.

[caption id="attachment_398049" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What I like most about Armored Core 6 is how everything feels like a puzzle: from mech construction in the hangar to moment-to-moment combat in the thick of it, when you're managing your boost meter every so slightly to ensure you have enough to dodge a massive blast coming your way. The quick aerial boost system ties everything together. By pressing a button (Square on PlayStation), you can sacrifice a quick bar of boost to instantly dodge. This can be chained in numerous ways (including weaving it together through a boost dash, even in the air), but all of this finesse is governed by a boost meter.

It really is like a ballet, and you're in control of both the precise movements and the overarching song. If you like tanky builds, you can craft a giant literal tank tread mech that sacrifices maneuverability for staying power. Glass cannon builds are a cinch to create, as are speedsters who zip around and manually dodge everything the game can throw at them. Once you're done tinkering, you need to actually put your creation to the test and figure out the ins and outs of that particular build.

Boss battles are where everything really shines. The variety on offer is frankly overwhelming, from tiny little Kitfox-like creations that zoom about, to foes who can employ active camo, to gigantic monstrosities that can deal a ton of damage in a single shot. I found myself constantly on my toes, having to learn and relearn how I thought my mech worked and push it to the limit. That's exactly the kind of feeling you want in a game like this, where you get to see the fruits of your labor up close and personal.

If you're worried that Armored Core 6 will be insurmountable because you've never played an AC game before (or any mech games, for that matter), don't be. There are a number of levels that From Software has pulled to ensure that you won't be completely locked out, including a full checkpoint system. While you can go for an S-Rank and finesse missions all you want, dying right before a boss, in nearly every instance, will allow you to restart from a closeby checkpoint.

[caption id="attachment_398050" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Going a step further, you can even reconfigure your build from the garage in this checkpoint menu, which feels like a pretty big lifeline for a From Software project. For folks who have limited time to play games, this will be a Godsend, but it's also nice that you're able to repeat missions for cash or have a go at the arena (quick CPU battles). There is a PVP system (co-op is not present at all in any form), but I wasn't able to test it.

From Software also accounted for this with the timed unlock of specific mechanics. You won't be able to fully customize your mech from the start. Rather, you'll need to finish a few basic missions before you can purchase parts, customize them, and spec into specific builds (like kinetic or energy-based damage). You'll also unlock fully-constructed blueprints of mechs that you can use for testing, without fear of "screwing up a build" or overspending.

I was a bit skeptical that From Software would find a way to make Armored Core relevant again after a lengthy hiatus, but they figured it out. The spark of the series is still very much alive without giving up its soul and making it something else entirely, and a new generation will be able to appreciate why these games were so venerated. Just be ready to tinker a bit, and take some Ls.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher, and deals with the single player portion of the game.]}

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As of writing, Starfield is just two weeks away from release. Will the long wait finally pay off? We don't know, but until we get our collective hands on it, you can scope out this new live action trailer for Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG.

Accompanied by a more "floaty" and orchestral version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" (because of course), the footage shows a heroic-looking astronaut who gifts a young girl a badge bearing the Starfield logo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3I6_9c58E

He then jettisons off into space, flying among the cosmos, hope and awe in his eyes. Then some brief pew-pew-pew-ing before he finds himself touching grass (or...dust, in this case) on a new planet.

I would have chosen Babylon Zoo's "Spaceman," personally

As if Starfield needed any more hype. This is Bethesda's newest IP in 25 years, and it's easily one of the most anticipated video games of this generation. While there's already been some criticism towards the game's main menu, many are excited about Starfield.

Still, this live action trailer does have a certain "epic" quality about it, if you'll pardon the cliché. If nothing else, it gives Microsoft a chance to flex its Big Budget muscles.

If, for some reason, you haven't committed the date to memory, Starfield will be launching on September 6 for Xbox Series X|S exclusive and PC.

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Earlier this year we saw the first gameplay trailer for Flashback 2, and now our hero Conrad B. Hart is back for more. With Gamescom underway, a new trailer is here to show off more of the sequel's action and intrigue.

Flashback 2 has original creator Paul Cuisset teaming up with developer Microids Studio Lyon to put players back in the role of the young GBI agent, and this new trailer shows more of how the new release differs from the 1992 original. Previously confined to methodical side-scrolling movement and quick and deadly gunplay, Conrad's freedom has expanded. You can see the 2.5D potion in motion as Conrad rolls, jumps, and shoots below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ei5RIgyzI

Hangin' tough

Flashback 2 has other original team members on board in addition to Cuisset. This includes Thierry Perreau on game design and Amiga composer Raphael Gesqua. 

While it looks like a faster-paced take on the classic, it's nice to see Flashback 2 clinging to cinematic adventure game animations. The way Conrad hangs from ledges and performs all-important combat rolls should look familiar enough to longtime fans. Sure, they may have misspelled "Washington" in one of the cinematics, but it looks like a lot of care was put into bringing the battle against the Morphs to 2023.

Flashback 2 spins its dystopian sci-fi yarn on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC on November 16. It's going physical and digital on consoles, too, and the Collector's Edition packs in some extras for those who want to shout their Flashback love from the heart of their shelves.

The post Flashback 2 runs and guns in a fiery dystopian hell in Gamescom trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

The dream of owning the first Metal Gear games in one location will soon come to fruition with the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection. Now, a new platform is getting on on the action. In addition to current-gen consoles and PC, Konami announced plans to bring the first volume of the Metal Gear Solid bundle to PlayStation 4.

The PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC versions were previously locked in for October 24. PS4 details are still TBD, however, so we'll have to wait for further info. For now, we know the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection will be digital-only on PS4. The PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch collections will be available both physically and digitally. 

https://twitter.com/metalgear_jp/status/1693518300725366829

Bring back Ultra Games

As previously reported, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection packs in some essential sneaking missions, including the MSX classics. In addition to Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, players can relive the stealth action of Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. 

The NES version of Metal Gear I spent too long attempting to figure out back in the day is there, too, as is the less celebrated followup, Snake's Revenge. Much like the NES Metal Gear, creator Hideo Kojima was not involved in this sequel, and it shows. As a piece of gaming history, though, it's essential. Snake's Revenge reflects a company capitalizing on the popularity of an original title in international regions. Also, like most Ultra Games, the soundtrack — from composer Tsutomu Ogura — rips. 

As for what lies beyond all this, we'll have to wait and see if those volume 2 leaks pan out whenever Konami gets around to detailing the next collection. 

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NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat 1 is just a few weeks away, and players are slowly learning about what's in store. GamesHub's Edmond Tran recently revealed an interesting detail that suggests the upcoming game may feature some nifty accessibility options. After losing in the Mortal Kombat 1 beta, he did a little sleuthing and discovered that he was playing what he believes to be a blind gamer. This led to him learning that the fighting game features a descriptive audio option for Fatalities.

https://twitter.com/EdmondTran/status/1693244537651785899

The example Tran posts has a narrator describing how Li Mei yanks out her victim's guts and decapitates them with a kick. The gruesome descriptions should serve as a great aid for visually impaired gamers hoping to immerse themselves in Mortal Kombat's gory world. That said, they're nauseatingly vivid enough to use for the awesome factor alone.

[caption id="attachment_393384" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via NetherRealm.[/caption]

Mortal Kombat 1 blends the old with the new

The closed beta test ran from August 18 until August 21, and several players have been showing off the upcoming game's slick visuals and bloody Fatalities. Johnny Cage has received quite a bit of attention, with many players enjoying his moves.

https://twitter.com/JockyRhonson/status/1692629225444970702

Fatalities are a key focus of Mortal Kombat 1. These are of course joined by Quitalities, which will make a return. This finishing move will activate when the loser of a match quits before the end of the round, causing their character to suffer a spectacularly violent death. The game will also introduce Kameo Fighters to provide you assistance during matches. Kameo Fighters revealed include classic franchise characters such as Ferra, Khameleon, Mavado, and Tremor.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be making an appearance at Gamescom 2023, though it won't be the only fighting game available. Tekken 8 is also scheduled to show up, and it'll be playable at Bandai Namco's booth.

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KO_OP's Goodbye Volcano High was first revealed during Sony's 2020 PlayStation Showcase. Featuring colorful dinosaurs in their last year of high school, the game has been subject to numerous delays. The first came in 2021, when countless other games were subject to the same fate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, it was pushed to this year and then delayed again after missing its June 15 release date.

https://twitter.com/KOOPMode/status/1693691706737103311

Its August 29 launch date appears to be the one to stick, as KO_OP has announced that the game has gone gold. The announcement congratulates the team for their "huge achievement", which is understandable, as it appears development was a trying process. Finally, almost four years after the first reveal, we'll finally get a taste of what the studio has been cooking up.

[caption id="attachment_397940" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via KO_OP.[/caption]

What to expect from Goodbye Volcano High

Fang, Reed, and Trish, members of the band VVORM DRAMA, are three dinosaurs in their final year of high school. With only a limited time left, they'll have to make some tough decisions. In a PlayStation blog post, KO_OP described it as a cinematic game that's meant to feel like binging on a series, though "unlike with TV, you’ll have the power and the emotion in your hands as you guide our characters through a branching narrative."

The game has rhythm elements to complement its musical themes and features an original soundtrack by Montreal-based artist Dabu. A demo of Goodbye Volcano High is available on Steam for players to discover more about what the game has in store.

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I have an unhealthy fascination with advergames. Well, advertising in general, but advertising has gotten so boring since we started expecting companies to tell the truth and not try to kill us too blatantly. Advertising games in general aren’t super common anymore, usually relegated to browser or mobile platforms.

It’s not that I expect them to be good. Outside of a few exceptions, they’re usually not. At the very best, they’re inoffensive, but at worst, we have Mr. Pibb. Otherwise known as Mr. Pibb: The 3D Interactive Game. It might potentially be the worst first-person shooter I’ve ever played, but to truly confirm that, I’d have to delve through the fog of repressed trauma, and I don’t think it’s worth it.

[caption id="attachment_397812" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The brand that failed medical school

Mr. Pibb is essentially Coca-Cola’s version of Dr. Pepper. Or it was. It’s now sold as Pibb Xtra. I don’t think it was ever really sold here in Canada, or if it was, it was like Mello Yello in that it was only briefly marketed here.

For a short while – and this is all stuff I’m essentially learning right now – it was marketed using a character with the obvious name of Mr. Pibb. I’m curious to look up an old commercial, but I’ve heard his voice enough playing through this game, and I really don’t want to subject myself to it any further.

Released in 1998 it is, as far as I can find, the first game created by Brand Games, a company that is still around today. Unsurprisingly, their current webpage makes no mention of Mr. Pibb or even having worked with Coca-Cola, so I’m very happy to highlight their past abomination. Among their PC titles, they also created advergames for Taco Bell and Gap Kids, both of which are a bit more hilarious, but I decided to go chronologically here.

[caption id="attachment_397813" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The mascot in my brain

Mr. Pibb was built on the ACKNEX Engine, which is now better known as 3D Gamebuilder. It’s awful. It feels like it kind of belongs between Doom and Duke Nukem 3D’s build engine. There are moments of clever mathplay in the engine, like a single bridge across a room or sections where you go underwater. However, I imagine this is built into the engine since the game design is otherwise, uh, rough. I don't have much faith in the technical side of the development team, is what I'm saying.

Apparently, your school was taken over by a mad scientist and everyone was turned into zombies. Everyone except you and Mr. Pibb, who I guess lives in your head. You cure people from their zombification by burping at them. I guess that carbonated beverages make you burp, so that’s your weapon. That sort of sounds like something someone would bring up as a joke in a brainstorming meeting. It truly stretches the meaning of the phrase “There are no bad ideas.”

Beyond the gassy main character, the only other real link to the soft drink that I know of is its presence in the game as a health pick-up. Of course you gain health by grabbing a tall glass of Mr. Pibb. And each time you do, the eponymous character will scream at you the typical ‘90s-sounding slogan of “Put it in your head!” It’s really, um, unique.

[caption id="attachment_397814" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Yep, that's a school

If there’s one thing that Mr. Pibb does well, it’s in its environment. The school looks like a school, which sounds really bare minimum, but environments that actually look similar to the real world weren’t really guaranteed in 1998.

However, the level design is hardly suitable for some of Mr. Pibb’s eccentricities. Enemies, for example, can’t just be passed through. You’ll always collide with them, which isn’t necessarily unusual. However, once you cure them of their zombieism, they still just stand there, unwilling to give ground. There are a lot of choke points like doorways, and there were a number of occasions where I was alternating between jumping and ducking to try and get past someone.

You can burp at them, but that just makes them sass at you and causes you to take damage. It’s not ideal.

On the plus side, however, the whole game is just one big(ish) level. It took me 45 minutes to complete the whole game, and that includes time spent getting stuck behind immovable students and dying in the worst platforming section imaginable at the end of the game. Your main objective is to gather keys to get to new areas in the school. It’s not very unique.

[caption id="attachment_397815" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Eeeew, it's sticky!

Even at 45 minutes, I can’t believe I went to the effort of completing Mr. Pibb. The last section of the game is somewhat obtuse and entirely created to be as frustrating as possible. You have to traverse caustic slime using moving platforms, and every time you step onto one of them, Mr. Pibb exclaims, “Eeeew, it’s sticky!” This is regardless of whether or not you actually touch the slime.

If you do slip off a platform - and that’s extremely easy to do - there’s a good chance that you won’t recover and will just die. I made slow progress through the final stretch of the game. I heard “Eeeew, it’s sticky!” so many times that my husband screamed out from the bathroom how much he hated that "kid."

It doesn’t help that the same awful song loops for the entirety of the game. The only time this changes is during the final boss battle. However, it just plays a tune over top of the existing music, and I swear that it is one of the worst compositions I’ve ever heard in a video game.

Picture this: You’re in a store that sells musical instruments. Someone has left their child unattended. This child is walking around the keyboard section, mashing keys. That’s what the celebratory ending song sounds like. It’s like the composer had left on vacation, and they really needed someone to fill in before the deadline. So, one of the programmers, with no musical knowledge, tried their best. It’s incredible.

[caption id="attachment_397817" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Advertrauma

The only thing that kept me playing Mr. Pibb was my constant amusement at how badly designed it was. Not that it surprises me that a game based on a drink that is 90% high-fructose corn syrup is not very good. It’s most shocking when an advergame turns out to be decent, like in the case of Cool Spot. It’s hard to tap into someone’s passion when you tell them their objective is to sell sugar-water.

At the same time, there was a certain value to advergames in the ‘90s. You may think that it’s an incredibly bad idea to chain your product to a horrible experience, but as a child in the ‘90s, we’d basically play whatever we could get our hands on. These days, you can really stretch your dollar and get thousands of games for less than $5, or even for free, but in the formative days of the internet, it wasn’t so simple.

If you gave a ‘90s kid a free game, it’s almost certain that they would play it. Once they've played it, you’ve managed to put Mr. Pibb in their head. And that's the sort of trauma that can only be dislodged with expensive therapy that children can't afford.

For previous Weekly Kusoge, check this link!

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When I saw that Honkai: Star Rail was having a special collaboration event with Sunright Tea Studio, I was intrigued. Most HoYoverse collabs in the past have been exclusive to locations in Asia, so it’s a rare occasion for one of these to happen in the United States. On top of that, there happened to be a Sunright about 15 minutes away from me, so I decided to check it out.

The event officially began on July 19, and my brother happened to be in the area, so we paid a visit that evening. I wasn’t expecting too much of a crowd since, well, how many passionate anime gacha game lovers could there be in my little city?

Turns out, quite a few. The place was bright and bustling. A sports car wrapped in anime girl vinyl sat proudly outside. The store itself was full of boba enjoyers posing with cardboard stands and posters of Kafka and Blade, the two new characters in Honkai: Star Rail. Two baristas worked frantically behind the counter as a trail of paper tickets spewed forth from a printer.

After waiting in line to order, we made it to the kiosk. There are two themed drinks as part of the collab event: Kafka’s Blushing Blueberry Splendor and Blade’s Karmic Chocolate Matcha. They’re quite expensive at $6.75 before taxes — ”Star Rail robbery,” my brother called it. I ordered one of each, for review purposes of course. It took almost an hour from arriving at the store to receiving our drinks.

[caption id="attachment_397645" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via Destructoid[/caption]

Buy tea, get goodies

The primary reason Star Rail fans might want to attend this event is because of the additional items you get with each drink. Buying two or more of the collaboration drinks gets you:

• Two cards with an image of Kafka or Blade that come with codes for in-game items
• Two square cardstock coasters with chibi images of Kafka or Blade
• Two themed cardboard drink holders
• A few stickers featuring chibis of various Star Rail characters (amount can vary)

The Blushing Blueberry Splendor is a blueberry smoothie with some cheese foam and jasmine tea jelly. It’s quite sweet (I recommend 50% sugar) with a strong blueberry flavor. The jasmine tea jelly has a satisfying consistency, but I wasn’t sure if I liked having it in a drink. It was very thick and chunky, being a smoothie with bits of blueberries and jelly. Drinking the whole thing felt like I had eaten a full meal. Still, I thought it was tasty and worth trying.

The Karmic Chocolate Matcha is basically fancy chocolate milk with some matcha in it. I’m not typically a fan of matcha, but the slight bitterness of the chocolate and matcha together was quite nice. It was creamy, smooth, and sweet, but not too sweet. I preferred the chocolate matcha over Kafka’s blueberry smoothie.

Many of my friends are avid Honkai: Star Rail fans but didn’t have a Sunright Tea Studio location near them, so I ended up making multiple trips to grab some goodies for them. The crowds have thankfully decreased, so you probably won’t have to wait as long as I did on the first day. The collaboration event lasts until August 31, so there’s still some time for Trailblazers to try these drinks and get some souvenirs!

The post I tried Honkai: Star Rail bubble tea at Sunright Tea Studio appeared first on Destructoid.

We got word of a sequel to cyberpunk hack-and-slasher Ghostrunner back in May 2021, and now we have a date. 505 Games set Ghostrunner 2 up as another drop in a jam-packed bucket on October 26, 2023. 

Along with the news came a new trailer for the first-person followup, which continues the story of Jack, a veritable cyber ninja who was thought to be one of the last active Ghostrunners. The new gamescom story trailer dips its toes into what's new this time around. This includes a quick look at the absurdly fast motorcyle and some of the vehicular combat that comes along with it. There's also a nasty AI cult to contend with, which doesn't sound too divorced from reality.

Ghostrunner 2 features a totally revamped progression system, with new abilities and paths available. According to 505, the sequel hopes to be more approachable to both new and experienced players alike. There's also a new block and perfect parry system, for those who pride themselves on their flashy CQC skills. It sounds like there's more freedom in the encounters and exploration, too, particularly when it comes to taking on bosses.  

[caption id="attachment_397767" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via 505 Games[/caption]

Rev 'em up

Those looking to pick up Ghostrunner 2 when it launches can dig through a few pre-order options. The $39.99 Base Edition is both physical and digital, and the $49.99 Deluxe Edition and $69.99 Brutal Edition are digital. Picking up the Brutal Edition grants access to the sequel two days early on October 24. There's also a Season Pass with a new mode and four asset packs, a bonus animated skin and a motorcycle skin. If there's a way to make my motorcycle look as ridiculous as possible, count me in. 

Ghostrunner 2 will dash to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC when it launches on October 26.

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There were previous reports that Lenovo may be preparing to release a handheld PC gaming device that will compete with the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. A recent article from Windows Report goes more in-depth regarding the rumored handheld device, while also revealing that there could be AR goggles to accompany it.

According to Windows Report, the glasses are part of a gaming ecosystem being developed by Lenovo. No release date or price is given for the handheld or the glasses, and Lenovo has yet to confirm or deny the reports.

[caption id="attachment_394545" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Taki Udon.[/caption]

Lenovo’s Legion Go could have accompanying AR glasses

Windows Report had previously revealed a few images of the Legion Go handheld gaming device from Lenovo. It is reported to run Windows 11, and it may be unveiled at this year’s IFA Berlin Trade Fair in September. The Legion Go wouldn’t be Lenovo’s first attempt at a handheld gaming console. The company once had plans to release the Legion Play, and a few prototype units were made available in China. However, the product was never widely released.

No specs are given regarding the AR glasses, though images suggest that it is meant to be used in tandem with the Legion Go. As for the handheld, it appears it will feature a microSD reader, an FPS mode switcher, as well as detachable controllers similar to the Nintendo Switch’s joy-cons. It is also expected to feature an “AMD Ryzen Z1 processor specifically designed for handheld Windows-based devices.”

Using AR glasses, players could potentially blend virtual elements with the real world. A simple example of this can be found in Niantic's mobile game Pokemon Go which allows you to see your favorite critters in your living room. With a much more powerful device, such as a handheld gaming PC, even more opportunities could be opened up.

Though AR glasses are an interesting idea, they won’t be the only ones on the market. Apple has unveiled the upcoming Vision Pro headset that will offer both augmented and virtual reality. Lenovo’s AR glasses could gain a competitive advantage if it manages to undercut the Vision Pro’s hefty $3,499 price tag.

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Resident Evil 4 received a remake in March 2023 which brought Leon’s classic adventure to modern consoles. As was the case with Resident Evil 7 and Village, Capcom has promised a VR mode for the remake. We’ll get to see a little more of the VR mode at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show, which kicks off on September 21 and runs until September 24.

Resident Evil 4 isn’t the only Capcom game that’ll be making an appearance. The company also lists Street Fighter 6, Exoprimal, Monster Hunter Now, and the Ace Attorney trilogy on its official webpage outlining its Tokyo Game Show plans.

[caption id="attachment_397688" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Capcom has big plans for the Tokyo Game Show 2023

Capcom will have its own booth at the Tokyo Game Show where attendees will have the chance to try out some of the company’s latest games. The event will also feature the return of the Resident Evil airsoft shooting range in collaboration with Tokyo Marui. For those who can’t make it, there’ll be a prerecorded stream which’ll share some of Capcom’s biggest news. It airs on September 21 at 07:00 AM PDT.

We received our first teaser for Resident Evil 4’s VR mode during the May PlayStation showcase, though not much was revealed. We'll hopefully see a few more details this time around, including whether game modes outside of the main campaign will also receive the VR treatment.

The company will have to put on a good show if it hopes to stand out, as several other gaming giants have confirmed that they’ll be showing up, including Bandai Namco and Square Enix. Sony will also be there, though they’ll only be exhibiting indie titles.

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Sympathy for the Underdog

We're still a few months away from seeing the eighth mainline entry in the Like a Dragon series. Fortunately, it won't be long before players meet Kazuma Kiryu again in the spinoff, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. That's right, Kiryu did such a thorough job erasing his name that he goes by the unsuspecting name of "Joryu". All the while, he'll find himself once again embroiled in threats, violence, and underworld intrigue. But those who manage to endure these trials will get treated to a Special Trial Version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed this and much more in an overview trailer and developer update video, which doled out a deeper look at the spinoff's story and gameplay before moving onto the bonus goods. Of note to hardcore fans, the unlockable Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth demo will include scenes that aren't present in the main game. This won't be a problem for Like a Dragon completionists, but it's an interesting approach to demo presentation. Of course, we don't know how much content we'll see in the sample. 

Like a Dragon Gaiden catches up with the former series star after he faked his death and made himself scarce. Yokoyama says this entry will offer "the best insight into the personality of Kazuma Kiryu". Even though, of course, we all know his personality really only comes out on the dance floor. The other side of his personality awaits at the end of his fists and feet. The trailer reinforces this by highlighting the gadget-focused Agent Style combat alongside some old fashioned Yakuza street fighting. 

[caption id="attachment_397465" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Sega[/caption]

Tokyo Drifter

It wouldn't be a Like a Dragon game without minigames to distract you from those battles without honor and humanity. Gaiden looks to get carried away with everything from arcade games to arena brawls, cabaret clubs with somewhat creepy live-action footage and, of course, karaoke. What's that? You made a time-sensitive threat against the orphans I devoted my life to back in Okinawa? Sorry, the night is young and I just got to the chorus of "Today is a Diamond." 

Mainstays like Goro Majima, Daigo Dojima and Taiga Saejima are on tap for the Coliseum battle arena and can join your team if you pre-order to get the Legendary Fighter Pack. They'll join Kiryu (sorry, I mean Joryu!) when Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on November 9, 2023. Meanwhile Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will launch sometime in early 2024. 

The post You’ll need to beat Like a Dragon Gaiden to play the next game’s demo appeared first on Destructoid.

The season is about to change, and with it, we have some changes to Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga. The game's upcoming Legends DLC will launch in time to join the fall playlist, which Freedom Games has showcased in a new trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSb8BhMJutY

Developer Dancing Dragon Games (Skyborn, Echoes of Aetheria) first entered the battlefield with Symphony of War in June 2022. The title takes inspiration from series like Fire Emblem and Ogre Battle, which has resonated with retro strategy-RPG fans. The Legends DLC was revealed during the 2023 Guerrilla Collective showcase, just shy of the game's one year anniversary. This update promises to deliver eight new chapters for the main story, 13 new unit classes, new characters, and additional game modes like the always-welcome New Game+.

[caption id="attachment_397235" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Dancing Dragon Games[/caption]

Class act

Symphony of War moves beyond focusing on specific troops to building up larger squads of up to nine units, eventually giving players command of a full army. The main heroes come into play when it's time to lead those squads into the turn-based battles throughout the campaign. Familiar ground for strategy-RPG aficionados, no doubt.

Legends DLC plans to expand upon this these mechanics with a new army meta that introduces necromancy and the undead. If raising an army of your own sounds like too much hassle, maybe literally raising them from the dead would be a more, um, palatable option?

As for the aforementioned new chapters, the eight added to the lineup are concurrent with the existing main story. They'll focus on expanding plots and tying up loose ends instead of starting anew with fresh faces and factions. 

We'll get to see how it all expands for ourselves when Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga goes live with its Legends DLC on August 28, 2023.

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Gamescom 2023 will be kicking off next week, featuring some of the biggest names in the industry. One such name is AMD, and the PC hardware giant could announce some new lines in its RDNA 3 range.

That's if a recent tweet from AMD's own Scott Herkelman is anything to go by. Herkelman says that Team Red will be in attendance at this year's Gamescom, bringing with it the company's "next major product announcements."

https://twitter.com/sherkelman/status/1691864001129443634

What this will be exactly we can't say. However, judging from the "s" in "announcements," it sounds like it's going to be more than one thing.

New graphics cards, surely?

Suffice it to say, we would assume that AMD will announce its next line of graphics cards in its latest 7000 series. A report from PC Gamer speculates that it could well be the leaked RX 7800 XT.

That may not be all. Some people commenting under Herkelman's tweet are holding out that AMD will announce FSR 3. For those who don't know, FSR (or FidelityFX Super Resolution) is the tech giant's own take on algorithmic graphical upscaling, similar to Nvidia's DLSS and Intel's Xe Super Sampling.

AMD seems to be trailing behind Nvidia at the moment. Its biggest rival has already released a number of products in its Ada Lovelace range. We've already seen the likes of the RTX 4090 right through to a 4060 from Team Green.

Conversely, there have pretty much only been two launches in AMD's RDNA 3 range: the RX 7900 (XT, XTX, and GRE variants) and the RX 7600. Now would the time for Team Red to start unveiling some more in order to keep up with Nvidia.

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Get ready for liftoff. Starfield preloads begin Thursday as the game has just gone gold (which means Bethesda's development of Starfield is effectively complete!). Now, players can download the game pre-release on its platforms, but it will be truly ready to play when September 6 (or September 1 for early access players) rolls around. Unfortunately, Steam users will have to wait longer for Starfield preloads to take effect.

Those who own an Xbox Series X|S or a PC with the Xbox app can preload Starfield on August 17. Players on Steam have to wait much longer as preloading on that platform occurs on August 30. If you've bought the Premium Edition or Constellation Edition physically or digitally, you'll be able to gain access to Starfield five days early on September 1. To make the wait even more arduous, the Xbox Twitter page says its hand is moving "closer to [the] giant LAUNCH button."

[caption id="attachment_397078" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

After delays, Starfield is actually ready

Starfield was originally going to be released on November 11, 2022, but it was pushed back almost an entire year. “We know you’ve waited a long time to play something new from us," said director Todd Howard after announcing the September 6 release date in a trailer. "Believe it or not, we’re kind of the same."

He later said, "We really just can't wait for you all to play it." Now we're nearing that time. Many games from Bethesda's past were criticized for awkward facial animation and bugs across the board, but this new game engine may take Bethesda to the next level. It could lead to impressive showings for upcoming games like The Elder Scrolls VI. As of last year, that fantasy RPG is currently in a design stage of development.

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DreadXP has announced that developer LUAL Games’ text adventure [I] Doesn’t Exist will launch on PC September 9, 2023.

Described as “Classic Zork meets existential crisis,” [I] Doesn’t Exist has you awaken in an unfamiliar forest and has you use your noodle to try and escape. However, things promise to not be as they seem, which is great because they already seem weird and unsettling.

Like many text adventures of the early PC days, [I] Doesn’t Exist doesn’t just provide you with walls of descriptive text. It also uses graphics to depict its strange world. Beyond that, there are animations, so you don’t have to rely on your unreliable imagination to paint you a picture.

https://youtu.be/91PdAe-n5VA

[I] Doesn’t Exist also touts the use of "Natural Language Processing" to support its parser and make things more intuitive. While this means the use of AI, the developer is quick to clarify that it isn’t involved in the creation process and is just to make the language parser more natural. In their words:

"Publisher DreadXP and developer LUAL value the authenticity of human-made narratives, and none of the in-game text in [I] doesn’t exist is AI-generated. The Natural Language Processing technology utilized in the game is not affiliated with ChatGPT or other similar AI platforms and utilizes only the player’s input to access pre-written responses by the game’s super-cool writers."

That’s rather comforting because we all know how well it went when Square Enix tried to make a text adventure using AI.

[I] Doesn’t Exist launches on PC on September 9, 2023. A demo is available to try out right now.

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Are we sick of hearing about Starfield yet? Unlikely, seeing as it's one of the most anticipated games of this year. And the community is already gearing up to unleash some of its own custom mods for the upcoming Bethesda title.

If you head over to Nexus Mods, you'll see that the site has now opened up its modding section for the game. Obviously, there's nothing there yet (save for some artwork), but it's pretty obvious, given the amount of Elder Scrolls and Fallout mods that are forever coming out, that a lot of people are going to be tweaking Starfield the picosecond it comes out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMOPoAq5vIA&t=658s&pp=ygUQc3RhcmZpZWxkIGRpcmVjdA%3D%3D

Just imagine the possibilities. There's no end to the potential when it comes to modifying AAA games, and Nexus is one of the most popular places to showcase such projects.

And the winner is...

On top of that, the modding website is also hosting a competition, with a chance to win a copy of Starfield and some other goodies. For example, they're giving away a TUF Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card, a B650-Plus motherboard, some peripherals, and some merchandise.

If you want in on this, you just have to head to the competition page and follow the instructions. The event goes on until August 29, and winners will be selected at random and contacted by Nexus Mods.

It's difficult to unbridled the sheer hype for Starfield. Given that it's Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years, a lot of people are going to be curious about what Todd Howard and his team have been working on. Will it pay off? Only time will tell.

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