We've previously shared some tips on how to survive the Slaughter Family's attempts at catching victims in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, so now we're about to share some tips on how to make Johnny a better killer in an attempt to even the odds — just kidding, Johnny will become rather overpowered and Victim players will hate us for it.

[caption id="attachment_399283" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Gun.[/caption]

Here's Johnny, one of the Slaughter Family's most effective killers in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

What makes Johnny special? Well, when the Victim Team isn't up against Johnny, proper stealth will do to avoid getting killed. When a properly built Johnny is on the enemy team, however, no amount of stealth will keep you safe as Johnny will still have Hunt, a special ability that guarantees he's able to track down anyone in his vicinity.

[caption id="attachment_399287" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Base Stats:

Savagery: 30

Blood Harvest: 16

Endurance: 30

To turn Johnny into a monster worthy of his own film series, we should focus on his strongest traits, his Savagery and Endurance. Yes, Johnny's Blood Harvesting attribute, the one required to get Grandpa Slaughter to work for the team, isn't great. That's OK, as Johnny doesn't really need the old man. If we focus on raising his Savagery and Endurance, he'll become nearly as strong as Leatherface — and will feature abilities that more than make up for any remaining shortcomings.

What are the best perks for Johnny?

[caption id="attachment_399297" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If you want Johnny to turn into a lethal hound, I recommend you pick these perks:

Feral - Raises Johnny's endurance and lethality.

Warmed Up - Grants Johnny the absolutely unfair opportunity to track down the last surviving victim as soon as he attacks them — if they survive. This is great to make sure the victims don't get the last laugh.

Patience - Allows Johnny to spend much less on abilities when he's standing still, meaning that he gets to track his victims with Hunt way more often.

Brute Strength (Grandpa Ability) - Makes not just Johnny, but the entire family team, stronger.

If you build Johnny like this, then congrats, you've just created a monster with an all-smelling nose that's also very good at both catching his victims and finishing them off.

You can now begin your unfair hunting spree in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S (also on Game Pass), PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

The post Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Best Johnny Build appeared first on Destructoid.

Though Bungie recently left players just whelmed after The Final Shape reveal, the initial response to Season of the Witch seems to be a win. Alongside general weapon and armor changes and new Strand Aspects, Destiny 2's Season 22 adds a new Artifact with some interesting accompanying Artifact Mods. This season's Mods stray away from the former practice to spotlight a couple of subclasses with powerful effects. Instead, players can enjoy almost any subclass with a new seasonal gameplay focus on Tangles and Elemental Orbs.

Though the seasonal narrative will slowly reveal itself over several weeks, players can level their Artifacts and equip any unlocked Artifact Mods at their own pace. Anything that nets Guardians experience will progress the Artifact, and players can choose 12 Mods out of the available 25 to passively weave into their build. That said, Guardians will want to pick and choose with a bit of intention this season, as there are plenty of options that require specific subclasses to use.

[caption id="attachment_399304" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Column 1 Artifact Mods

• Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle - This Mod allows Auto Rifles to pierce the shields of Barrier Champions and stun them.
• Piercing Bowstring - This imbues Bows with shield-piercing arrows that can stun Barrier Champions.
• Unstoppable Scout Rifle - After peering down the scope for a few moments, Scout Rifles can fire an explosive stunning shot that disrupts Unstoppable Champions.
• Overload Hand Cannon - Multiple Hand Cannon hits disrupt Overload Champions and other enemies. The stun also reduces damage output and ability regen.
• Unstoppable Fusion - Like Scout Rifles, looking down Fusion Rifle sights loads an explosive that stuns Unstoppable Champions.

Column 2 Artifact Mods

• Arc/Strand Siphon Combo - This option fuses functionality of the Arc and Strand Siphon armor mods.
• Solar/Strand Siphon Combo - This option fuses the functionality of the Solar and Strand Siphon armor mods.
• Void/Strand Siphon Combo - This option fuses functionality of the Void and Strand Siphon armor mods.
• Origin Perk Specialization 1 - The Head Rush, Nanotech Tracer Rockers, Undated Hunger, and Cursed Thrall weapon Origin traits are all enhanced.
• Diviner's Discount - Scavenger armor mods of any kind appear at a reduced price.

Column 3 Artifact Mods

• Thanatotic Tangles - In addition to the other methods at players' disposal, Strand weapon kills have a chance to create a Tangle.
• Origin Perk Specialization 2 - Whenever an overcharged modifier is active in an activity, weapons with the Head Rush, Nanotech Tracer Rockers, Undated Hunger, or Cursed Thrall Origin trait are considered overcharged regardless of weapon or element type.
• Elemental Orbs: Void - Void weapon kills can create a Void Elemental Orb. If thrown, the Orbs erupt in a Void explosion and disperse the Volatile debuff.
• Elemental Orbs: Arc - Arc weapon kills can create an Arc Elemental Orb. These Orbs trigger a Jolting explosion when thrown.
• Elemental Orbs: Solar - Solar weapon kills can create a Solar Elemental Orb. The Orb explodes and Scorches enemies on impact.

[caption id="attachment_399313" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Column 4 Artifact Mods

• Overload Machine Guns - Continuous Machine Gun shots imbue rounds with a stun that disrupts Overload Champions, delays ability regeneration, and lowers enemy damage potential.
• Elemental Fury - Players deal additional damage with abilities and Elemental Orbs to stunned Champions.
• Communal Pickups - If an ally steals or blows up a Tangle or Elemental Orb, the cooldown to produce another is reduced by five seconds. Additionally, the creator receives a damage buff to any weapons using the same element as their equipped subclass.
• Refreshing Pickups - Energy is gifted to players' lowest-charged ability whenever they pick up a Tangle or Elemental Orb.
• Semi-Auto Striker - Continuous precision damage with Bows, Snipers, or Scout Rifles grants a stack of Armor Charge. This effect only triggers if players have less than two stacks of Armor Charge.

Column 5 Artifact Mods

• Monochromatic Maestro - Ability damage buffs matching elemental weapon damage and vice versa. The damage increase is 10%, and it lasts for five seconds.
• Rapid-Fire Ranger - Players can weaken long-range enemies or bosses by dealing continuous precision damage.
• Elemental Embrace - This Mod grants an absurd amount of Recovery and damage resistance against elemental damage matching players' subclass. The effect triggers whenever players receive a unique elemental buff from their subclass (Amplified, Radiant, Woven Mail or Devour).
• Elemental Munitions - Special and Heavy ammo can appear whenever foes are defeated with Tangles or Elemental Orbs.
• Frenzied Stacks - Orbs of Power grant a temporary stack of Armor Charge, which now increases the damage of Tangles and Elemental Orbs.

The post All Artifact Mods in Destiny 2’s Season 22 appeared first on Destructoid.

Digital Extremes' Warframe is one of the longest-lasting live-service games on the market, having started its free-to-play romp back in 2013. Some of the game's oldest fans may well remember that DE's sci-fi adventure ambitions started earlier still, with the original concept behind Dark Sector: a game that embodied many of Warframe's core design principles at first, only to eventually be retrofitted into a bog standard (albeit charming) cover-based third-person shooter. Well, Dark Sector has always had more than a few parallels with Warframe proper, and those parallels may be explored in a new context with Warframe: 1999.

Notably, Digital Extremes recently revealed one of Warframe's two upcoming expansions, those being Whispers in the Walls and Warframe: 1999. 1999 is due to launch sometime in 2024, and what's really notable about it is that it appears to take players far, far away from the central conflict of the Sol system. Instead, it is seemingly set in an alternative version of the year 1999.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NyR1Gfvr8

Is Warframe: 1999 a Dark Sector revival?

Digital Extremes has, historically, never been too concerned about whether the team will stray too far away from Warframe's core lore and gameplay principles. This has resulted in a remarkably layered but also fragmented experience, where not all of the game's features necessarily interact with one another. It's always been a bit strange, then, that the studio chose not to do anything with Dark Sector, short of releasing some of its cosmetics as microtransactions in Warframe.

It's worth pointing out that DE itself hasn't come out and said that 1999 is a re-envisioning of Dark Sector. The similarities, however, are certainly striking. The protagonist of Warframe: 1999 is a mystery man known as Arthur, who is - for whatever reason - fielding the Excalibur bodysuit with an old-school combat harness and other various tidbits of regular, modern-day kit. His enemies? The techno-organic plague, which may or may not have something to do with the mad scientist type (Entrati) who appears at the end of the trailer. The similarities with Dark Sector's Hayden Tenno are impossible to ignore.

Now, it's anyone's guess whether Digital Extremes is actually gunning to reenvision Dark Sector in the context of Warframe's own lore, but that certainly looks like what's going on. Warframe veterans may wish to keep an eye out for 1999, then, as it has the potential of being remarkably interesting to those who enjoy the game's wacky lore.

The post Warframe: 1999 may reimagine a classic Digital Extremes game appeared first on Destructoid.

Tennocon kicked off with a bang, as Warframe developers Digital Eclipse finally confirmed cross-progression was coming to the free-to-play shooter.

While no exact date was announced, cross-progression is coming to Warframe sometime in 2023. The game previously allowed cross-play between consoles and PC players, but saves were bound to each system.

https://twitter.com/PlayWarframe/status/1695552466824147042?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Cross-progression was an often requested feature, and devs confirmed previously that it was in the works. Cross-progression has fortunately become the norm, though that wasn’t always the case. Games like Fortnite and Destiny 2 led the pack by implementing cross-progression, but many games still tie accounts to their original ecosystem.

Why do players want cross-progression in Warframe?

Cross-progression may not feel like a huge deal, but it’s a matter of convenience. From a comfort perspective, it means it’s easier than ever for a Warframe player to move from their computer desk to their couch to continue the game on a console.

But it also opens up gamers to new consoles or making the jump to PC. While cross-play allowed friends to play on any platform, they wouldn’t be able to take that character to another ecosystem. If you started your Warframe career on your PS4 or Xbox One back in the day, you would have to start a new character if you jumped to a different console or PC.

It also is a shot in the arm for Warframe players with Frames they made years ago but friends who started the game on a new system. Attempting to form a party across multiple console and PC ecosystems can be a nightmare, but cross-progression means the whole squad can finally join up on the same system with cross-progression.

Warframe first launched in 2013, but it's actually a spiritual successor to PS3/Xbox 360 shooter Dark Sector. Warframe first launched on PC, with ports released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One shortly after. Since then, it's become one of the most celebrated free-to-play MMOs, thanks to its refined shooter gameplay mixed with energetic movement. Today, the game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch, as well as the original releases.

The post Warframe devs confirm cross-progression is finally coming appeared first on Destructoid.

The Xbox Series S is in the headlines again after Larian announced it would be shipping Baldur's Gate 3 without split-screen co-op on the Xbox Series S.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Phil Spencer addressed the perceived issues with Series S and why owners understand the changes.

"I don't see a world where we drop S," Spencer said, "In terms of parity, I don't think you've heard from us or Larian, that this was about parity. I think that's more that the community is talking about it. There are features that ship on X today that do not ship on S, even from our own games, like ray-tracing that works on X, it's not on S in certain games. So, for an S customer, they spent roughly half what the X customer bought, they understand that it's not going to run the same way."

[caption id="attachment_397599" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Destructoid[/caption]

The Series S was a bold decision at launch, dropping alongside the more powerful Xbox Series X at a much more affordable $299 price point, though it omitted key features like a disc drive and only included a 500 GB solid-state drive. The lower price point was made possible with an overall lower spec, turning the Series S into a development bottleneck, which many developers have groused about over the years.

Despite Baldur's Gate 3 changes, the Xbox Series S is important

The Baldur's Gate 3 news was disappointing, but it's still hard to deny the importance of the Xbox Series S. While many tried-and-true Xbox gamers went for the Series X, the Series S received a lot of attention. The console's lower profile and relative power compared to it's lower price made it a great fit for many living rooms. It built a reputation as the solution for a more casual gamer looking to dip their toes into Game Pass on a next-gen console without breaking the bank. And for Spencer, that's precisely why he loves the Series S.

"Having an entry-level price point for console, sub-$300 is a good thing for the industry," Spencer explained. "I think it's important. The Switch has been able to do that, in terms of kind of the traditional plug-into-my-television consoles. I think it's important, so we're committed."

The post Xbox’s Phil Spencer says Series S changes to Baldur’s Gate 3 aren’t about parity appeared first on Destructoid.

We think of video game sequels as something that can outdo the original in most ways, be more of the same, or even hit fans with the heavy hammer of disappointment. That, however, ignores the rare but very real case of sequels that don't necessarily suck but that will baffle fans with their nigh-inexplicable new design choices. We shouldn't forget this class of sequel, it does at least a great job of providing fun to anyone learning about just how absolutely bizarre these games can get.

[caption id="attachment_398483" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Silent Hill: Book Of Memories

Remember how the Silent Hill series managed to make players feel scared and uneasy even when no enemy was on screen? Well, nobody had time for that when they were reinventing the square for the PlayStation Vita with Silent Hill: Book Of Memories.

This one isn't a psychological horror game and barely even a survival horror game. It's a weird attempt at making an isometric action title in the vein of the awesome Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light but in the world of Silent Hill.

Heck, you don’t even have one of the simplest staples of psychological horror that the series had done so well up until this point—like the feeling of loneliness and isolation—as this one is a co-op adventure featuring up to four players. Wild stuff.

[caption id="attachment_398490" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Nintendo[/caption]

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Remember when the original The Legend Of Zelda changed gaming by taking a cue from the top-down perspective of RPGs and re-purposing it for action adventures?  You don't? Well, neither do I because I was too young to play it back then, but that's what the legend of The Legend of Zelda says.

Zelda 2 is definitely not a bad game (if you're looking for a bad Zelda side-scroller, google Zelda CD-I games), but it’s still pretty weird that Nintendo did away with the revolutionary design they’d come up with in the first one to make a more conservative 2D side-scroller. Nintendo already had Mario dominating that field, and there was no shortage of similar side-scrollers from other companies. Luckily, it didn't take Nintendo long to both go back to their revolutionary formula and then try new stuff that further propelled the series into legendary status.

[caption id="attachment_398485" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Konami[/caption]

Bomberman Act: Zero

This one was absolutely terrible and also marked an awful tonal shift for a beloved cutesy series that definitely didn't need one. I probably wouldn't have put it on the list because this isn't about straight-up bad sequels, but I like how its poster looks just like Oppenheimer's, so that's some extra bonus points for weirdness.

If you're looking for a wacky fun Bomberman game, then you're much better off playing Saturn Bomberman.

[caption id="attachment_398478" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Valve[/caption]

Half-Life 2: Survivor

Remember how the original Half-Life and its sequel each changed the FPS landscape of its time, due to smart gameplay mechanics that forced players to use their brains? Welp, Half-Life 2: Survivor is a bizarre, mostly on-rails arcade version of Half-Life 2 that only came out in Japan.

Do you see that massively busy interface? That's not one of those spoofs of HUD glut that you see all over the Internet—that's the real deal. The reason why anyone would come up with such an antithesis to what made Half-Life 2 great is a mystery, but I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't spend a few dollars at the arcade to try this mess.

[caption id="attachment_398461" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Naughty Dog[/caption]

Jak 2

Ever wondered why the original Jak & Daxter had players happily hopping from platform to platform and then Jak 2 was all about gunning down enemies and driving flying vehicles? Sure, Naughty Dog had also previously equipped Crash with a Bazooka for the third game in the Crash Bandicoot series, but Crash's Bazooka only fired Wumpa fruit, not lethal rounds. What the hell happened there?

Well, it turns out that the sequel to Naughty Dog’s once happy-go-lucky platformer became a shooter because Naughty Dog saw the entire gaming landscape change with the arrival of gritty titles such as Killzone, God Of War, and, most importantly, Grand Theft Auto 3. The team made all the changes to the original that they could to accommodate gameplay elements that played similarly to Rockstar's mega-hit, and the series was never the same again.

In Naughty Dog's defense, however, I have to admit that Jak 2 was pretty damn good.

[caption id="attachment_398509" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Nintendo[/caption]

Star Fox Adventures

This is the game that sent the Star Fox series into dormancy and made the titular Fox more recognizable as a top-tier Super Smash Bros. character than as the main character of his own series. Its mistake? It decided to get Fox out of his ship and give him some ground-based missions.

This isn't a new kind of 3D game. This is Zelda with the exception that Zelda games are usually great, and this one is just okay. Star Fox Adventures marks one of the very rare moments in gaming when they would've been much better off just doing an on-rails shooter than a sprawling 3D adventure.

[caption id="attachment_398471" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Capcom[/caption]

Dino Crisis 3

Dino Crisis has always been an odd Resident Evil clone, but the rule is that you can only send your series to space after around the 8th entry. Picking space as the setting for your mundane terrestrial series in the third entry is too much—especially when it's a game about pre-historic stuff, the historical opposite of space stuff, I guess. Even Exoprimal feels more grounded than this Chimera.

Also, the first two games in the series came out for the original PlayStation, whereas Dino Crisis 3 landed on Xbox as an exclusive, which might have gotten Xbox fans to believe it has always been in space, thus making it all the more hilariously weird.

[caption id="attachment_398467" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image By Bethesda[/caption]

DOOM RPG

Remember when Doom fans didn't like Doom 3 because it was slower, darker, and spookier? Well, there's an even weirder, blacker sheep in this series: Doom RPG.

For some bonkers reason, Id looked at the "meh" reaction DOOM 3 got and decided to further reduce the amount of action and make a game that was more Final Fantasy than Doom. To Id's credit, however, Doom RPG is pretty decent and was even pretty revolutionary in the mobile gaming scene, as it provided a fully-fledged campaign two years before the iPhone made mobile gaming go big. Did any of the things that you just read entice you to wait for an HD remaster? Well, good luck with that, since Id lost Doom RPG's source code.

[caption id="attachment_398464" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Maxis[/caption]

Darkspore

Remember Spore? At some point, it was totally going to be the best game ever made! Sadly, the most fun anyone ever ended up getting out of it came from the game’s extremely advanced creature creator—mostly because they got to create beings that looked awfully phallic.

The people at Maxis looked at the game's lukewarm reception and came to the natural conclusion anyone in the ‘00s would’ve arrived at: it just wasn’t gritty enough. To solve this, they came up with Darkspore, a game that ditched everything from the original except for the creature creator, and then made a gritty action game about a badass creature that went on to battle other gritty, less phallic creatures.

Darkspore wasn’t even bad, but I can’t help but laugh at the very obvious high-speed course correction that was at play here.

The post Here are some of the most bizarre games from otherwise popular franchises appeared first on Destructoid.

Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared in 1990’s Rad Mobile for arcade a few months before the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. He appears as an ornament dangling from the ceiling of the car.

I wanted to get that bit of trivia out of the way because it’s often all anybody knows about Rad Mobile. That is, if they even remember the name. I say that because I could never really remember it. Not until I became interested in pre-3D racing games.

This is mostly because Rad Mobile was only once ported to console and never in North America. That is, until it was chosen as one of the games for the Sega Astro City Mini. That’s still a pretty niche platform in this part of the world, so I’m still waiting for it to finally get the spotlight over here.

[caption id="attachment_399105" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

That pesky hedgehog

Rad Mobile is interesting to me because it uses the “Super Scaler” pseudo-3D technique that Sega built their hardware around. It’s best remembered for Space Harrier, but it was used in OutRun and Hang-On. However, both OutRun and Hang-On used raster effects for their pseudo-3D road, whereas Rad Mobile just makes heavy use of scaling sprites. This is the same technique used by 1988’s better-remembered Power Drift.

So, rather than your car driving on a background layer or single sprite, you’re actually riding across a steady stream of overlapping sprites that gradually get bigger to simulate parts of the road getting closer to the screen. It’s as obvious as it is effective. Because it was easy to create bridges and hills using Super Scaler, racing games that used the effect typically had a lot of variation in elevation, to the point where they can sometimes feel like roller coasters.

Despite being designed by Yu Suzuki, Rad Mobile is hardly the best racing game of its era. The floatiness of the car and the difficulty in gauging depth with 2D sprites combined with the first-person perspective makes it feel quite janky. However, it still has a lot going for it and I love it all the same.

[caption id="attachment_399103" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Are we there yet?

Rad Mobile is your typical story about a race across the United States, from West to East coast. This would also be seen in Turbo OutRun and Cruis’n USA, among others. The journey is separated into 20 short tracks, each depicting a different location. Like many racing games at the time, you have to make each checkpoint within a short time limit to replenish your clock. However, on top of this, you compete against other racers on the same trip. If you’re careful, you can drive across the U.S.A. in less than half an hour, so I’m not sure why planes exist.

I’m not sure that Rad Mobile was ever intended to be played with a digital controller. The Astro City Mini version allows this, but most cabinets I’ve seen have a steering wheel. It’s a Sega System 32 board, so it most likely could have been installed in a real Astro City arcade cabinet, but the car controls are so sluggish and pressing an arcade button to accelerate is so uncomfortable it feels like a racing wheel is necessary. Still, it plays okay with a normal arcade stick.

[caption id="attachment_399102" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A long drive for someone with nothing to think about

A lot of Rad Mobile’s appeal comes from the variety it has stretched across the continent. Some tracks play at night, and you have to activate headlights to get a better view of the road. Meanwhile, it rains on others, and a pair of wipers keep your windshield clear. My favorite, however, is one that forces you to drive on train tracks and puts an impending locomotive in your rear-view mirror, threatening to clobber you if you clip a wall.

Speaking of clobber, there are police in some legs of the race. I’m not totally clear on why, but sometimes, if they get ahead of you, they’ll pull you over. Then, a police officer walks up to you and absolutely crushes your (formerly) radical automobile with one punch. It was a weird era in video games where people beat up a lot of cars, I guess.

One of the strangest parts, however, is the Rocky Mountains. If you slip off the edge of the track, you fall through nothingness for a few seconds before the road reappears beneath you and catches your car. It wrecks your car, but it was at least nice of the level to loop back around to give you something to land on.

[caption id="attachment_399100" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Scaling for consoles

The Sega Saturn version of Rad Mobile, Gale Racer, is something of a strange conversion. Largely, it’s a pretty reasonable port of the arcade game, but it’s also not as good. Mainly, this is because every track is separated by a loading screen, whereas the arcade version feels like one continuous journey. This not only kills the feeling of long-distance travel, it also eliminates the competitive feel of the game. You still pass cars on your journey, but it seems more like you’re doing it for score rather than to win a race.

Also, your speed tops out at around 300km/h for some reason, compared to the arcade's 170km/h. You still move at the same clip, the speedometer just reads differently.

The other vehicle are rendered in polygonal 3D, for some reason. The car also handles a lot crappier. There are police vehicles, but I don’t think they can pull you over anymore. The worst part about it, however, is the draw distance. It’s a lot smaller than the arcade version, which I’m guessing is because the Sega Saturn doesn’t have the same dedicated sprite scaling hardware. However, it could also be because it released in 1994, and most games of that time were rushed for the new hardware.

On the other hand, there’s a two-player mode. The soundtrack is a lot better. It’s also interesting that it didn’t come to North America, because it’s entirely in English. There’s even a text crawl at the beginning that is completely in English, but has Japanese subtitles.

Still, Rad Mobile is better than no Rad Mobile.

[caption id="attachment_399106" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Sega Arcade Arena

Sega seems to be having trouble figuring out what to do with all its arcade classics. They’ve provided a slow trickle of their best games through series like Sega Ages, but a lot of them are still inaccessible. The Sega Astro City Mini is nice, but it’s expensive and works better as a showpiece than as a mini console.

They need something like Capcom Arcade Stadium. Some sort of bigger compilation of their arcade titles that don’t absolutely need online connectivity. That, or they need to let Hamster dig through their back catalog for the Arcade Archives series. Or something. I just hate having to scour through old ports to try and find specific titles.

Rad Mobile is worth scouring for. It pokes me directly in my love for road trips and appeals to me through its weirdness. Too often, racing games are just monotone and serious. It’s no wonder I just cling to any driving game that offers more than just four wheel and an engine.

For other retro titles you may have missed, click right here!

The post Sega’s Rad Mobile deserves to be remembered for more than just its dangling keychain appeared first on Destructoid.

Blackbird Interactive and Gearbox Publishing have released some more details about the upcoming space RTS Homeworld 3. The newest installment in the Homeworld series will feature a new roguelike-inspired multiplayer mode called War Games. Unveiled at GamesCom, the new mode creates a strategic co-op experience mixed with elements of roguelike gameplay.

War Games can be played solo or cooperatively with up to two others, meaning three players in total. Plays will select a starting fleet and command it through a series of three randomized combat challenges, hence the roguelike mechanics. Those who successfully manage their fleets through the objectives obtain Artifacts that can augment their ships.

Also, players will earn experience for progressing through War Games which unlocks additional Artifacts and starting fleets. Blackbird plans to continue evolving War Games even after launch with optional premium content expansions.

At a glance, this mode reminds me somewhat of the StarCraft 2 co-op mode. I was already looking forward to Homeworld 3, so a continuously replayable roguelike mode sounds like a great addition to the RTS. Typically there's not much reason to replay a campaign in this sort of title, so a mode like this is a perfect fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmQ56YpYaAA

Additional campaign details and mod support

During Gamescom Opening Night Live we also got some campaign details in the Homeworld 3 Story Trailer. The all-new original story takes place decades after Homeworld 2 and focuses on the looming threat to the Hiigaran fleet.

A sudden brutal attack by a new enemy known only as the Incarnate forces the Hiigarans to cross into the Anomaly, and face new dangers inside.

We also got some details regarding planned mod support with Homeworld 3. Modders will be able to create their own content and share it easily with other players using mod.io. At launch players will also have the tools to customize ships and build their own levels for Skirmish mode within an Unreal game editor. Players will be able to place megaliths, resources, and other objects to create completely unique battlefields and maps.

By partnering with mod.io, Homeworld 3 mods will be available on both Epic Games Store and Steam when the RTS releases.

The sci-fi space RTS recently suffered a delay moving it out of the first half of 2023. Homeworld 3 now launches in February 2024 on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

The post Homeworld 3 reveals new roguelike multiplayer mode called War Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur's Gate 3's first patch, aptly titled Patch 1, is officially live. This brings the BG3 version number to 4.1.1.3669438, so make sure you're on the proper version when you play next! It's important to do so because Patch 1 addresses over 1,000 bugs as well as introduces some balance changes and fixes some flow issues while playing.

According to Larian Studios, this patch tackles some visual bugs while adding some more post-launch polish. Enemies should no longer spot you when they shouldn't be able to, and random items should no longer defy gravity and float. Perhaps most importantly, romancing Shadowheart has been fixed meaning those who could not reach the conclusion of romancing her should now be able to. Thank Shar, am I right?

Larian also confirmed that Patch 2 is right around the corner and will feature significant performance improvements.

Finally, we got some more fun stats about player decisions in Baldur's Gate 3 so far. The most played class is Paladin followed by Sorcerer, and the least played is Cleric. Humans and Elves are the most chosen race followed by Half-Elf. On the flip side, Dwarf, Gnome, Githyanki and Halfling are the least played.

Looking through the patch notes, I see quite a bit of love being given to Act 3 which is honestly where it's needed the most. It's great to see Larian putting in the effort to make Baldur's Gate 3 even better when it's already so insanely good.

[caption id="attachment_398869" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Larian Studios[/caption]

Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 1 highlights

Larian has provided some highlights from the Patch 1 patch notes, which we've included below minus the spoilery ones. If you want to view the full patch notes you can do so here.

Showstoppers

• Fixed a bug where listening in on a conversation as Player 1 and then exiting the dialogue prematurely could result in not being able to interact with anything anymore.
• Fixed an issue causing the Reaction UI to not work correctly and potentially block progress in combat if you save the game in the middle of a reaction.
• Fixed loot in corpses sometimes not appearing in multiplayer until an item is dragged onto the corpse.
• Fixed a bug causing you to get a Game Over screen after helping Downed party members.
• Fixed the Helm of Arcane Acuity crashing the game. The condition is now capped to 7 stacks.
• Attacking an NPC during a dialogue after being Downed will now get you arrested rather than giving you a Game Over screen.
• Fixed an issue where characters could get stuck in an infinite falling loop.
• Fixed an issue with Marcus being resurrected by players hitting him with a dual-wield attack - the second hit will no longer revive him.

Story Flow and Logic

• Shadowheart should more easily follow up on her proposed romance moments in Act III.
• Jaheira and Minsc's paths are tied after you save Minsc, so if you've forsaken him, Jaheira should now follow after him.
• Fixed bug that made it possible to break up with Astarion without meaning to.
• The drider will now recognise that you're with him when reaching Moonrise Towers if you start following him in the middle of his route.
• Art Cullagh and Fist J'ehlar no longer get so scared of bears and spiders that their quest breaks.
• The Zhentarim will more consistently use the mines after their allies have fallen back to safety, and will no longer actively try to blow themselves up by checking active mines.
• Minthara no longer references irrelevant topics or passes judgement on companions more than once.
• Fixed the dialogue flow when dating Minthara.
• You can no longer recruit both Halsin and Minthara to camp in the same playthrough.
• Made it less ambiguous that you're starting a romance with Gale when choosing certain dialogue options.
• During Gale's spell-teaching scene, you now have the option to picture a future with Gale that falls somewhere in between kissing him and kicking him in the head.
• Fixed an issue where using non-lethal attacks on Auntie Ethel would still kill her.
• You can now opt to respect the privacy of the bugbear and the ogre outside the Blighted Village again. Don't get in the way of real love.
• Fixed a level design quirk that would allow you to use a spell like Misty Step or Dimension Door to skip part of the main quest sequence in Act II.
• Fixed an issue where the Baldur's Mouth headline about a cute cat could get accidentally overwritten.
• If Wyll isn't recruited, he will now recognise Avatar Karlach and initiate dialogue.
• Throwing a single coin at the beggars will no longer damage them.
• If Dolly Dolly Dolly curses you with the A Clown in Town condition for making her angry while inside the Moonlantern, she will now paint your face. That'll teach you.
• The Zhentarim at the Goblin Camp should now be more tolerant if you approach them.

Balance

• Made gold bounties more generous in several containers across the game.
• Increased players' HP bonus in Explorer Mode from +50% to +100%.
• Fixed the Freecast tadpole power to properly reset on Long Rest. It was creating infinite spell slots and Sorcery Points for sorcerers.
• Arcane Tricksters' Mage Hand Legerdemain now does not expire until destroyed, and does not lose Invisibility on Long Rest.
• You can no longer have multiple Mage Hands active at the same time.
• The Shield reaction can no longer be used while Silenced.
• Fixed not being able to create 5th Level spell slots from Sorcery Points.
• College of Lore bards can now pick which additional skill proficiency they receive. Bards that are already of the College of Lore need to respec to get this choice.
• Made sure proper spell DC is applied during multiclassing.
• Added spells to bards' Magical Secrets feature: Banishing Smite, Animate Dead, Crusader's Mantle, Hunger of Hadar, Revivify, Sleet Storm, Rage of Enfeeblement, Web, Entangle, Hunter's Mark, Sanctuary, Thunderous Smite, Bone Chill, Eldritch Morphic Blast, Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, Sacred Flame.
• The Club of Hill Giant Strength now increases Strength to 19 and not some puny 15.
• Fixed a bug with ranged enemies reapplying Hunter's Mark constantly, even when not needed.
• Warlocks' Pact of the Chain summons now get to use their Extra Attack more than once.
• Fixed NPCs sometimes spotting you even if they're not supposed to be able to.
• Fixed an issue where multiple rolls trigger if you walk along the edge of a cone of vision.
• Danse Macabre ghouls will no longer kill you when you Long Rest.
• If you make a successful Saving Throw against a poison, you will now gain immunity to that specific poison for 2 turns.
• Meenlocks are now immune to the shadow curse.
• Helped Minthara remember how to use her weapons.
• Enabled trespass warnings for any additional characters that trespass after the first instead of immediately triggering combat.
• Fixed NPCs attacking outside of their turn when combat starts during forced Turn-Based Mode.

Usability

• Fixed dialogue notifications, like approval ratings and roll results, disappearing too early.
• The Launcher will now remember whether you chose DX11 or Vulkan.
• Fixed the incorrect amount of gold being displayed in all UI menus if the amount is too large.
• Fixed spells like Hex randomly shifting in order, causing you to misclick if you're moving and clicking around intuitively.
• Fixed players who are merely listening in on a dialogue being able to skip lines - only the speaker can now do this.
• Fixed an issue with Camp Supply values for the second local player in multiplayer if they joined during a game. Long Rests will, alas, no longer cost nothing.
• You can no longer interact with another player's inventory (e.g. send multiselected items or use their items) if their inventory is locked.
• Fixed the critical hit text sometimes not appearing.
• Improved the performance of the minimap when new map markers appear or old ones disappear.
• Dyed armour will now appear in the right colour in the Level Up screen.
• Halsin's Wild Shape tooltip will now correctly call him a cave bear.

Visuals

• Fixed the modesty filter not working on dragonborns.
• Fixed earrings on tiefling female strong character models.
• Added a Controller Style option, which allows you to override which controller's icons are displayed.
• Fixed an issue causing the clown makeup to not only not appear on Lae'zel's face when applied, but also remove her characteristic tattoos and makeup.
• Invoke Duplicity now works as an identical copy of your character. And they're not naked.
• Fixed a leather helmet, a metal helmet, and the Helmet of Smiting floating on some character models.
• Lae'zel's underwear will now more accurately reflect the colour of dyes used on it.

Cinematic Scenes

• Made fixes to kissing scenes with the Origin characters across the game, for example to make sure physical contact is made properly, to account for shorter races, and to account for uneven ground.
• Fixed items like mugs and newspapers floating in the air during dialogues - the characters holding them were correctly hidden but the items themselves weren't. Ghosties begone!
• Fixed Scratch's position so you can try to get that ball out of his mouth. Whether he'll let you have it is another matter.
• Lae'zel no longer floats up and down during your dialogue where you discuss dating.
• Fixed some cameras that couldn't contain the force that is Astarion in a dialogue with him at night at camp. Also tweaked and added facial expressions where needed.
• Fixed a camera position when Karlach hugs you for the first time after getting her upgrade.
• Fixed the mind flayer not appearing in the cinematic dialogue with Dror Ragzlin if you manually trigger the dialogue.

Loot and Trade

• Traders who stock dyes now also stock dye remover.
• Made Lady Esther available to trade with after you've completed her quests.
• Fish vendors now have more fish to sell. That new bait must be doing the trick!
• Popper the kobold at the circus now sells more oddities.
• Lady Jannath will now have artsy items to trade.
• Skeletons around the Selûnite Outpost no longer have fresh food in their inventory.
• Lohse's portrait is now reachable, chief.

Misc

• Updated the credits and reformatted them into two neater columns.
• The Digital Deluxe DLC's D:OS2 bard songs are now also granted to companions as well, instead of just player avatars.
• All the extra bard songs from the Deluxe Edition will now be available even if you use Lohse's Lute of the Merryweather Bard from the Deluxe Edition.
• DLC rewards will no longer get removed if you load a save with that DLC not installed. Any rewards that were removed due to this will be restored.
• Steel Watcher idle sounds no longer take up streaming bandwidth.
• You can no longer climb the Shambling Mound.
• Optimised the walking bounds of Glut so that it navigates the world and the battlefield better.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 1 is here with over 1,000 bug fixes and more appeared first on Destructoid.

With Episode 3, The Expanse: A Telltale Series reaches the midpoint of its story. After the end of the second episode, we find Drummer and her crew piloting the Artemis toward the coordinates found on a data card in the first episode. Episode 3 begins with the Artemis approaching the location of those coordinates: an old derelict space station.

Interestingly, this is one of the earliest created space stations. It was built shortly after the creation of the Epstein Drive, which allowed interplanetary travel in the solar system. This station existed before the term "Belters," and before the formation of the OPA. This station was home to some of the first humans to leave Earth and settle in space.

[caption id="attachment_399107" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 3 (PC [Reviewed], PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Deck Nine
Publisher: Telltale
Released: August 24, 2023
MSRP: $39.99

A monumental narrative episode that connects with the show

Until this episode, The Expanse: A Telltale Series has kind of been its own standalone experience in The Expanse universe. More specifically, it takes place before the events that unfold in the six-season television series. However, in Episode 3, the overall narrative actually connects with the show and gives us a more detailed look at the events leading up to it.

Honestly, I was curious if Deck Nine would end up doing this, but wasn't too sure if it would. After all, the events of The Expanse: A Telltale Series are canon in The Expanse universe. Part of me felt like it would just be its own separate standalone story that simply takes place using a character we came to love from the show. But let's be real here. If the goal is to make this a truly memorable experience, it would probably have to connect to the show in some way. Now that it does, the story definitely feels more impactful and meaningful. I'm more interested in seeing where we go from here with the final two episodes.

[caption id="attachment_399125" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The gameplay loop continues

I had stated in my impressions of Episode 2 that I was afraid every episode would be exploring ship wreckage. For the first two episodes, that's what we were doing most of the time. Fortunately, we step foot in an actual space station for the majority of this episode, though exploring a structure in zero-G is obviously very similar to exploring what's left of a derelict ship.

While Episode 2 introduced a laser-dodging gameplay mechanic, Episode 3 features a new puzzle. For several spots throughout the space station, you have to direct power via cables to connect a grid of power boxes. It's honestly very simple and not difficult at all; you just trace where which cable goes to the next box and activate it. Once again, The Expanse: A Telltale Series is primarily a narrative-driven experience. However, it is nice to see the developer try to throw in some new gameplay elements with each episode, no matter how simple they may be.

[caption id="attachment_399111" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Yep, my choices mattered

In Episode 2, it felt like my choices were starting to matter. But, in Episode 3, it's very clear that my choices do in fact matter. Two big things happened at the end of the episode that made me curious—did I affect this outcome? In standard Telltale fashion, at the end of each episode, you get to see how your choices compare statistically to the choices of other players. While it appears one of the big things that happened does in fact happen no matter what, it appears as though the other big thing can be prevented. Sorry for the lack of detail here, I don't want to spoil anything.

However, it gets even more interesting. Out of pure curiosity, I speed-ran through Episode 3 again, specifically trying to change the outcome. Don't worry, I still planned to use my original playthrough going into Episode 4. With these types of titles, I find it most interesting to live with your choices. But I was surprised to find out that despite changing things, I still had the same outcome. I could be wrong, but I think it was actually a choice I made at the end of Episode 2 that had an effect on the outcome in Episode 3, which is great.

[caption id="attachment_399128" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A solid experience so far

As we head into the final two episodes, I'm overall feeling pretty happy with The Expanse: A Telltale Series so far. My only issue with it so far may be the length in comparison to the price point. The Wolf Among Us was $14.99 for five episodes that totaled close to 10 hours. So far, through three of the five episodes of The Expanse: A Telltale Series, I'm at a little less than four hours. And the price is $39.99, over double the price compared to The Wolf Among Us.

Not taking the length and price into consideration, this has been a fun trek through the universe of The Expanse. And, I feel like it's about to get even more interesting as we head into the back half of the story.

In two weeks we will take a look at Episode 4. And on September 21 we will reach the conclusion of The Expanse: A Telltale Series with the final episode.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. We're saving the score for the final episode to encompass the complete experience.]}

The post Review: The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Rayman fans are over the moon after the announcement that the limbless hero will be featured in the next Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope DLC. However, there might be more to look forward to. The game's director, Davide Soliani, teased a return to glory for the French platforming mascot Wednesday. He also confirmed there will be a secret message if you finish the DLC with a 100% completion rate. The prospects of the first Rayman game since 2013 might come to fruition.

According to fan community leader ItzalDrake from Rayman Together, Sparks of Hope director Davide Soliani sent a message to the character's fanbase just before the launch of the Phantom Show DLC:

"I hope that all the community and all Rayman players support us as much as possible because I'm on a mission: my mission is to be able to bring Rayman back to the glory he deserves."

https://twitter.com/RaymanTogether/status/1694386555723342118

When was the last Rayman game released?

The limbless hero has been absent for a long time, which is strange as he was an important mascot for Ubisoft during the beginning of the studio's history. The last true game in the series was Rayman Legends, released back in 2013: a decade ago this month. If you want to go all the way back, the last 3D platforming adventure Rayman 3 came out in 2003. A fourth entry or even a follow-up to the 2D platforming subseries would be a dream for many fans of the series.

Soliani did not outright confirm a new game in the series, but as previously mentioned, he has teased a secret hidden message for those who 100% complete the DLC. "I hope for your support and I hope you like it!" he concluded in his message to the fans.

The post Sparks of Hope director teases return to “glory” for Rayman and secret DLC message appeared first on Destructoid.

Remember Samba de Amigo? No longer relegated to serving as a racing game cameo who was once prominently featured in a franchise of old: the monkey with attitude returns in Samba de Amigo: Party Central on Switch.

Sea of Stars is also out on August 29, and fascinatingly, serves as a prequel to Sabotage Studio's wild 2018 project The Messenger. Blasphemous 2 (which we reviewed!) is out today, rounding out a pretty strong showing for the Switch eShop, with three brand new games this week. That explains why the rest of the lineup is smaller (relative to other weeks).

Nintendo Download: Samba de Amigo

• Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case – Available Aug. 29
• Alice Escaped!
• Arcade Archives DARK ADVENTURE
• Ashina: The Red Witch – Available Aug. 25
• Crypto Miner Tycoon Simulator
• Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils
• Giant Wishes – Available Aug. 25
• GINSHA
• Golf: Hole in One – Available Aug. 29
• Heart Chain Kitty: All Screwed Up – Available Aug. 28
• Hello Engineer
• Hidden Paws Bundle – Available Aug. 28
• Little Devil: Foster Mayhem – Available Aug. 25
• One-Two Combo Bundle: Punch Club Franchise
• Plumber Bundle 3 in 1
• Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles – Available Aug. 29
• Rocket Car : Ultimate Ball League Machines – Available Aug. 25
• Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate
• Sphereout – Available Aug. 29
• Stack Ball Run!
• The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation – Available Aug. 30
• The Nightmare: Serial Killers
• Wildagotchi: Virtual Pet – Available Aug. 25
• Word Search Puzzle: Find the Words!
• Xtreme Sports
• Zombie Outbreak: Survival in Ancient Egyptian

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Nintendo Download: Samba de Amigo: Party Central appeared first on Destructoid.

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.

The post Dune: Spice Wars leaves Early Access this September appeared first on Destructoid.

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.

The post Starfield leaker arrested on charges of theft appeared first on Destructoid.

Hollywood has oftentimes tried to capture the magic of video games on film, and the most fun audiences have ever gotten out of it was seeing it fail stupendously pretty much every time. Still, you cannot say the same about game-to-tv-show adaptations, as those have already provided us with actual top-tier entertainment. Let's take a look at the best of the bunch.

[caption id="attachment_385596" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image By Netflix[/caption]

06. The Witcher

Okay, It's very important to establish that Netflix's The Witcher is an adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's books, and not of the games — Just kidding. It's pretty obvious that Henry Cavill is emulating video game Geralt because this series only exists due to the success of the games. Yes, I know damn well that the only people watching this are the millions of Witcher 3 fans out there.

It's also important to mention that the entire show (so far) is very uneven, hence landing at number six in this ranking. Still, the show does many things right — the fight choreography is awesome, and so is the costume and set design. Production-wise, this feels closer to the original Lord Of The Rings trilogy than to The Hobbit trilogy. Sadly that's not a given these days when they usually just use CGI for everything. It's great to see a video game adaptation putting so much work in.

Also, it's clear that the heart is there. Cavill is awesome, the same goes for Ciri, Yennefer, and Jaskier, obviously. The only real problem here is the story's awkward progression, but you can always come back to the first season to enjoy some fun and uncompromising episodic monster-of-the-week action.

Oh, and that song about throwing money at Witchers is an instant classic.

[caption id="attachment_368634" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by HBO[/caption]

05. The Last Of Us

Please don't get angry for seeing The Last Of Us merely at number five in a ranking about the best things of a specific kind ever made.

It’s definitely good, competent, and very ugly or beautiful whenever it wants to be. Just like the game, it picked the perfect couple of actors to give life to the characters that could carry the massive weight of both the game's drama and the hopes that more video games could get prestige TV treatment in the future.

But is it really that big of an achievement? It feels like a very safe adaptation of a game that already played like a movie in the first place. HBO's The Last Of Us is good, but you know what else is good? Watching a video compilation of the cutscenes from the first game on YouTube. I wish we could see a future season starring a new group of main characters on a completely different adventure. Perhaps you can get Henry Cavill to star in it. I heard he likes games.

04. Sonic Boom

Sonic Boom, the game, is one of the worst games ever made. Its TV show, also called Sonic Boom, would deserve praise even if it were just a smidge above an unwatchable mess filled with inexplicable animation errors, but nope, it's a genuinely good kid's show.

Many Sonic fans are aware that good Sonic games are a rarity these days, but good Sonic TV shows have always been rare. Remember that show where Sonic had a rock band? The kids of today don't have to suffer through that just to get their Sonic fix anymore.

The Sonic Boom animated series gives the world of Sonic and its characters a makeover, and ties it all up with some pretty funny dialogue — if you're in the age range of people they made this for, at least.

[caption id="attachment_234605" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Netflix[/caption]

03. Castlevania

Netflix's Castlevania is probably the first truly-great video game-based TV show, and legitimately one of the best animes of recent times.

It does a great job of fleshing out the entire Belmont clan, as well as making Dracula go from just that meme who asks "What is a man?!" into a real flesh and cold-blood character with real motivation. Also, the action is unsurprisingly great.

It succeeds in all the parts where The Witcher TV show fumbled, as whereas most of the people who care about the Witcher TV show were already fans of the games, Castlevania actually brought in a lot of new fans who likely weren't even born by the time the first game in the series came out.

The only possible problem stemming out of this show is how the demise of the game series might lead future generations to think of Castlevania as something that began as an anime, and not as one of the best 2D games of all time.

[caption id="attachment_344945" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Netflix[/caption]

02. Cyberpunk Edgerunners

Even though the Cyberpunk 2077 game we have today is miles better than what we got upon release, I think it's safe to say that Edgerunners, its neat Netflix anime tie-in, still beats it by a wide margin.

Instead of trying to retell the events of the game via some beautiful but ultra-expensive CGI, Edgerunners gives us what I wanted out of The Last Of Us TV show.

It uses the world of the game to tell a completely new story featuring a bunch of instantly lovable new characters, a decision that ultimately enriches both the anime and the game by helping populate such a huge but otherwise empty city. No, I'm not taking a dig at how the PS4 version of Cyberpunk featured a comically low number of NPCs on the streets of Night City — I'm talking about how seeing more characters living out their stories brings life and soul to the world of Cyberpunk — and this world will never have too much of that.

[caption id="attachment_398034" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Netflix[/caption]

01. Arcane

There was no way this would ever end anywhere other than in the top spot. The animation alone is so unique and marvelous it makes me believe that even if its story made as little sense as the game's lore, and even if the characters were as toxic as the overall League Of Legends community, I'd still feel tempted to rank it near the top. Luckily, I don't have to deal with that as Arcane avoids all of the known video game adaptation pitfalls and then some.

Instead of fitting the popular game in its plot in an inevitably contrived way, Arcane had the guts to create a completely new story that ignores the Summoner's Rift competition altogether, opting instead to give long-deserved depth and pathos to many of the game's popular characters. The result is an astounding success on all levels. I hope more adaptations could learn from it and risk going for something new instead of trying to repeat its video game beats — those which famously work for video games, but not necessarily in the audiovisual format.

Not bad for a show whose intro features a song by Imagine Dragons, huh?

The post The top 6 best TV shows based on games appeared first on Destructoid.

Grab your space suits, because Factorio is heading to space. Developer Wube Software revealed in a blog post today that the first expansion for the popular factory-building game would be Space Age.

According to Factorio found kovarex, Factorio: Space Age will continue the player's journey after launching rockets into space at the end of the base game. Players will discover new worlds with their own unique challenges and exploit their resources. In doing so, new technological advances will be found. Furthermore, players will be able to manage their own fleet of interplanetary space platforms.

It's been three years since Factorio officially released, and over seven years since its Early Access release.

The popular factory building simulation title has over 133,849 total Steam Reviews with a 96% Positive rating.

[caption id="attachment_359125" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Wube Software[/caption]

A familiar direction for Factorio: Space Age

Hardcore Factorio fans will find the Space Age expansion pretty familiar. One of the most popular Factorio mods is the Space Exploration mod. As you might expect, this mod also takes you to space. In fact, the original creator of that mod, Earendel, is now part of the Wube Software team and is working on the Space Age expansion.

According to Earendel, despite the comparisons, the expansion will have plenty of reason for those who have and haven't played the mod to give it a try. Earendel believes Space Exploration is more targeted at challenge-seekers, while Space Age targets all Factorio players. While all the challenges of the Space Exploration mod can take 150-100 hours or even more to figure out, Space Age is a more streamlined and fast-paced experience between 60-100 hours.

As a big Factorio fan, I'm happy to see any content being released. I have just over 650 hours played so far—which are casual numbers to some—and would love to put in more. I've played the Space Exploration mod so obviously the overlap is concerning. But as an actual expansion, Factorio: Space Age can do more feature-wise than a mod can. Don't get me wrong, the Space Exploration mod is fantastic at what it does. But, some of the more clunky things such as piloting ships can be more streamlined in Factorio: Space Age.

While there is no solid release date for Factorio: Space Age, kovarex explains that their current release window is about one year from now. However, players interested in the expansion can look forward to weekly posts detailing its development progress.

The post First Factorio expansion takes us to the stars in Factorio: Space Age appeared first on Destructoid.

Before Starfield, there was No Man's Sky. And what a journey it's been. It may have started out badly when it launched in 2016, but it's enjoyed one of the biggest redemptive arcs in gaming. We've had tons of free updates and plenty of extra content, and now the next big patch is already here.

Say hello to ECHOES. This is the newest update for No Man's Sky, which adds even more to the already massive space exploration title. Hello Games says it's the largest update of the year, celebrating seven years since the game's massive relaunch.

https://youtu.be/8g2YqU-_GtA

And once again, we're treated to a bevy of new content No Man's Sky players won't have to pay for as extra DLC. Included in Update 4.4 is the introduction of mechanical lifeforms, bringing their own unique rituals and language. The No Man's Sky patch notes describe them as "a long-hidden civilisation of robotic beings."

But wait! There's more!

ECHOES also features outlaw capital ships, which are "fearsome Pirate Dreadnoughts" that "cruise between the stars and terrorise merchant fleets," if you're into that sort of thing.

Then there's a new Multi-Tool Decommissioning Terminal on the Space Anomaly that allows you to "become a Multi-Tool salvage hunter" and discover a host of other goods.

On top of that, developer Hello Games has also tweaked the PSVR2 version of No Man's Sky. Specifically, this latest patch boosts the game's resolution, leading to a sharper image. It's one of several major platform updates this year, as the spacefaring adventure also just revealed its Mac version.

The full patch notes detail a long, long list of quality-of-life updates, Twitch drops, and even elements for some customization. Suffice it to say, ECHOES is once again another triumph for NMS. It's been said countless times already, but it's hard to imagine that this once hyped sci-fi game that became the center of much controversy and lawsuits then went on to ultimately redeem itself with free DLC and a dedicated community of players.

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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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Nintendo has announced that the next game joining the Nintendo Switch Online (Expansion Pack) line-up. Excitebike 64 will be arriving on August 30.

Excitebike 64 is generally remembered as being a better-than-expected motocross game. It was a rather strange title where, if you looked past the rather generic visuals and excess of dirt, you’d be rewarded with a lot of strangeness. This includes a soccer mini-game that the internet likes to call the original version of Rocket League and an endless desert.

It also got an unexpectedly awesome trailer:

https://youtu.be/mVHhNyEQeio?feature=shared

I rented Excitebike 64 back in the day and loved it. When I reunited with it years later, I couldn’t find that same spark. I pick it up every now and then, trying to remember why I loved it so much, and still can’t do it. There’s too much dirt. Too much bike. Not enough excite. Still, remember when Nintendo had its own line of sports games that didn’t involve Mario? I prefer Mario sports games over real ones, but I also love variety.

This is the fourth of five games Nintendo promised us for 2023. Many have been pointing out that somehow Mario Party 3 is currently the one left out. Considering the first two Mario Party games were released in 2022, it’s kind of strange that they aren’t in more of a hurry to complete the trilogy.

It would also be nice if they added more non-Nintendo titles. The Star Wars games, maybe? The Goemon games? Hybrid Heaven? It doesn’t really matter to me, personally, since I have an extensive N64 collection. However, there’s more to experience on the console than just Nintendo’s contributions.

Excitebike 64 will be arriving on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 app on August 30.

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Among all this Starfield talk, it's easy to forget that The Elder Scrolls 6 is even a thing (maybe). It's been five years since we were treated to a brief tease of the next installment in Bethesda's flagship series, and the face of the studio seems to regret being too hasty with things.

In a recent interview with GQ, Mr. Skyrim himself, Todd Howard, says he me have been a bit too quick to announce TES6, adding, "I probably would've announced it more casually."

https://youtu.be/OkFdqqyI8y4

Of course, the interviewer asks whether Howard can divulge any further details about The Elder Scrolls 6. Naturally, the director isn't saying anything, though he does say that the upcoming RPG does have a codename. He also says that he and the team want the next TES game to "fill that role of the ultimate fantasy-world simulator."

So when is it co-

When's it coming out, I hear you ask? Again, nobody can really say. As a sidenote, Howard does make a comment about how he wants to keep making games, with no plans to retire any time soon. He even likens his career path to Nintendo's own Shigeru Miyamoto, who's now in his early 70s.

It's at this point that the GQ interviewer offers their own speculation, saying that The Elder Scrolls 6 may not be out until Todd Howard reaches 60. Given that his Wikipedia page has him down as being either 52 or 53, this means TES6 might still be a good seven or eight years off.

Obviously, that's just speculation. Although recent rumors suggest the long-awaited follow-up to Skyrim might be at least five years away. In any case, Bethesda definitely seemed to have done itself a disservice by announcing it so soon.

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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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Uh… Hm. This might be a damning way to open a review, but not every games needs to set your loins alight. I think a game industry where every title is tripping over each other in an attempt to be the most meaningful experience you have had would be pretty miserable. Developers should have fun with the creative process. It should be fulfilling to them. Otherwise, we’d just be getting our entertainment from workers on an assembly line. That’s not how art works.

This might be obvious, but I say that because Orbo’s Odyssey did not combust my crotch. I played it because I like the cut of the developer’s jib. Feverdream Johnny is probably best known for their work on Nowhere, MI. They’ve partnered with Ben Drury for this sort of spin-off or sequel to Peeb Adventures. So, I guess I’m here to spectate the creative process rather than have my genitals gelatinized. With that said, it’s still a fun time.

[caption id="attachment_398697" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Orbo's Odyssey (PC)
Developer: Feverdream Softworks
Publisher: Feverdream Softworks
Released: August 21, 2023
MSRP: $6.99

Orbo’s Odyssey opens with the eponymous meeple getting locked in their boss’s office along with Peeb. The door isn’t locked, but neither of them has arms, so they can’t work the doorknob. I can think of a few ways around this issue, but they decide the only two options are to either wait for the boss to come to the office (which he never does, typical manager) or use a device to craft a prosthetic arm capable of manipulating a door. I guess they don’t have buttcheeks, either.

They need to collect little Gear Parts that are conveniently located in product portals found in the boss’s office. So, you’ve got a little problem, a little hubworld, and Orbo’s Odyssey is a little platformer. It’s a micro-collect-a-thon. There are five gears in each world, and it takes a little over an hour to complete.

Or maybe I’m just amazing. I was told the controls are easy to learn and hard to master, but I had it down from the word "go." Actually, maybe I was just told that so I’d feel good about myself. In that case, it worked.

https://youtu.be/Ty8SJzoRNo0?feature=shared

Adventure vs. Odyssey

Beyond running and jumping, you can launch yourself through the air like a rocket. This is the big concept to wrap your head around, as while there’s more to Orbo’s Odyssey than just going ballistic, it’s all centered around your jet speed. There are time trials, puzzles, and battles, but they’re mostly all solved by ramming your head into them.

The real appeal is in the dreamlike visuals. Well, I say “dreamlike,” but my dreams usually involve a lot more noodles. Feverdream Softworks seems to dream about Draculas and businessmen. Their dreamworld is an awful little place where an unconvincing façade and awful corporate culture mix into something inhuman and alienating. Especially when you factor in all the house music that plays overtop.

There’s a lot of screwing around to be had. Scouring environments reveals a lot of strange displays, making it feel almost like a wax museum or an I Spy book.

If you look hard enough, you can see some of Feverdream Johnny’s trademark nightmarish existentialism. This possibly ties into the greeted Feverdream universe, but I can’t claim to be intimately familiar enough to know for sure. Standing apart, it’s mostly just confirmation that your discomfort is warranted. It reminds you that it might not be raining, but you're standing thigh-deep in a leech-filled swamp. It’s the good stuff.

[caption id="attachment_398698" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Box quote

Because of its brevity and whimsical apathy, it’s hard to really give a lot of feedback on Orbo’s Odyssey. It neither disappointed nor exceeded expectations. I doubt I’ll be doing an annual playthrough, but I’ll still be there for Feverdream Softworks’ next game. It’s not that expensive, and it’s maybe healthier for you than eating an entire bucket of ice cream by yourself. Hold on, I can do better. Here’s a good box quote:

“Orbo’s Odyssey is an adequate reason to put your fingers all over your mouse and keyboard.”

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

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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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Bungie appears to have done something very, very right with Destiny 2: Season of the Witch, according to the community. After a number of fumbles stemming from Lightfall's release onwards, it looked like the studio just couldn't catch a break with Destiny 2. Now, thankfully, things appear to have settled down, and players seem pretty happy with Season 22's key novelties.

The excitement comes from the destinythegame subreddit, where players posted dozens of trending threads doting over some of Season 22's best offerings. The Savathun's Spire activity has already been singled out as a particularly notable highlight, endeared for its high enemy density, interesting mechanics, and solid threat escalation from beginning to end.

[caption id="attachment_398431" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bungie[/caption]

It's not just gameplay hitting a high note in Season 22, either. Users like Voltax1999 and DerCatrix shared praises and jokes about major story beats and character arcs. In particular, Eris Morn's attempt to become a genuine Hive God rivaling Savathun, Xivu Arath, and even the late Oryx himself—may Deep rest his Oversoul—has captivated fans. Both threads received thousands of upvotes, delivering some much-needed positivity to a scene that's been gloomy as of late.

Ultimately, the community's response to Season of the Witch reads as a major Bungie win. Given the new season just launched on August 22, maybe take some of the fanfare with a grain of salt. But considering the humble community expectations for Season 22, Bungie may well be onto something here.

Season of the Witch and Player Feedback

Earlier this month, Bungie's Joe Blackburn commented on the game's troublesome state. Judging from his tweets, the studio finally seemed ready and willing to take some community critique to heart. Just note Blackburn's comments were more recent, so the feedback mentioned may not play a part in Season 22's quality. Though perhaps that's all the better and, hopefully, a signal things are looking up for Destiny 2.

After a rough period, it's welcomed news that some key seasonal mechanics, like Eris's deck of Hive playing cards, disguise Bungie's extremely well-trodden progression tropes. The new system is, technically, the same thing in place seasons prior, but Bungie's improved upon it through thoughtful tweaks. There's innovation present in Season of the Witch that hasn't been there in quite a long while. If Bungie keeps it up, the community may be on board again by the time The Final Shape launches in February 2024.

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In an interview with GQ, Starfield Director and Executive Producer Todd Howard confirmed the open-world RPG does, in fact, have a New Game Plus mode.

Unfortunately, no actual details on the mode were provided. However, simple confirmation of the NG+ existing in Starfield is pretty exciting as it would be the first Bethesda Game Studios title to feature the mode. The NewGame Plus mod added NG+ support for Fallout 4, but otherwise, it has just been a highly requested feature.

According to the interview with GQ, your skill traits and backstory perks when creating a character will add a unique and exciting twist on New Game Plus and incentivize continued and repeat play.

[caption id="attachment_398844" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bethesda Game Studios[/caption]

Even more content for Starfield with New Game Plus

Gamescom has given us an idea of how long we can expect to spend in Starfield. Bethesda's Head of Publishing, Pete Hines, even mentioned we could potentially spend hundreds of hours in a Starfield playthrough.

I'm very curious about exactly how New Game Plus will work. In an open-world adventure with over 1,000 planets to explore, a single playthrough will surely have plenty of content. I'm excited to see what sort of new features or content will be available by going on the journey again. Either way, now that I know Starfield has a New Game Plus mode, perhaps I won't spend hours going back and forth on the starting traits I choose.

I suppose we'll know soon enough. Starfield releases on September 6 on PC and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be a day-one title on Xbox Game Pass. Players who pre-ordered the Premium Edition will get early access to Starfield on September 1.

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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.

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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.

We'll probably never see a third installment in Valve's legendary Left 4 Dead series, but that's okay. L4D2 is still getting a lot of love and, in fact, it recently received a small update that comes packed with tweaks, as well as one sought-after change.

As spotted by PC Gamer, the patch notes for the latest update to Left 4 Dead 2 notes that, among other things, Valve has finally decided to name the Swamp Fever gator, something that's apparently been requested by the community. From this day forth, the "swamp gator" shall canonically be known as...Fred. Do with this info as you must.

[caption id="attachment_398633" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via Valve/Steam.[/caption]

According to my own Steam account, this patch is only a 2MB download, but as you can see from the notes, there's a laundry list of tinkering that's gone on.

Still rockin' the Steam charts

And why shouldn't the developer keep its 14-year-old zombie co-op game alive and well? It's an absolute classic in the genre, giving more of what people loved in the original release. It's still going pretty strong overall. At the time of writing, SteamDB registers almost 27,000 players fightin' hordes in Left 4 Dead 2 right now. Also, the game is currently at the number 44 spot on the Steam charts.

That might not sound impressive, but considering Elden Ring is just ahead at 40 and Cyberpunk 2077 is trailing behind at position 48, Valve's classic FPS is still managing to pull in enough players. Although we were supposed to be seeing a return to the L4D format with Turtle Rock Studios' Back 4 Blood, it didn't quite hit the mark. For many, it was a decent zombie shooter, but it just couldn't reach the heights of Valve's long-dormant series.

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