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

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

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

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

Tremors

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

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

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

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

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

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

Split vision

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Look who's talkin'

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

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

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

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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Officially revealed back in June, Persona 3 Reload now has a release date. Those looking to dive into the full remake of the PlayStation 2 RPG can mark their calendars for February 2, 2024. If this one has been living rent-free in your head since 2006, you can celebrate its return with the deluxe Aigis Edition.

While we spent some hands-on time with the remake, Atlus shared a new trailer to showcase more of the fresh updates. You can check it out below to see how the overhauled visuals give new life to a fan favorite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax-u7i2_6nQ

If you're curious about the updated music, there's also a trailer highlighting the new battle theme.

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

Persona 3 Reload goes beyond tweaks to the visuals and music. Changes have been made to mechanics like Shuffle Time, for instance. The voice cast is also new, including the likes of Zeno Robinson as Junpei Iori, Aleks Le as the protagonist, and more. It looks like a solid mix of modernization and the type of overall faithfulness hardcore Persona fans expect. 

[caption id="attachment_398444" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Atlus[/caption]

Aigis ain't nothin' but a number

In addition to the standard $69.99 digital and physical release and two extra tiers of digital editions — Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Digital Premium — Persona 3 Reload's centerpiece is the Aigis Edition. There's no price at the moment, but this one packs in a bunch of physical and digital bonuses. The game comes in a collector's box along with an art book, two-disc soundtrack CD, and an Aigis figure. All the DLC available at launch will also be included in a DLC pack voucher. You'll be able to grab this one on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. 

Persona 3 Reload is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC (Steam and Microsoft Store). It also has its sights set on Game Pass, so get ready to evoke in February! 

The post Persona 3 Reload release date set, Aigis Edition revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Deck comes with a beautiful 1280x800 LCD screen, and you can have an anti-glare filter slapped onto it if you buy the premium 512GB version. For those who aren’t satisfied, there’s the DeckHD screen which boasts a 1920x1200 resolution and promises to deliver more vibrant colors.

After going on sale, the aftermarket screen replacement sold out within 5 minutes. The possibilities are exciting, and the Steam Deck is designed to be easily disassembled, though owners of the handheld should proceed with caution if they intend on making such modifications.

[caption id="attachment_398335" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

A better screen, but at what cost?

With the DeckHD, you’ll enjoy a wider color gamut along with an anti-glare coating, allowing you to play in varied light conditions. For Deck owners who want to give the aftermarket screen a shot, a waiting list is available.

If you’re interested, you should be aware of a few things. Firstly, installing the screen will require you to dismantle your Deck. This isn’t too hard, and Valve has provided instructions on how to do so (with plenty of warnings). Nevertheless, you should be careful when handling delicate electronics.

https://youtu.be/Dxnr2FAADAs

Secondly, after installing the new screen, you will need to customize your handheld’s BIOS to be compatible. Though this isn’t too complicated of a process, it does come with the risk of permanently bricking your Deck. You’ll also need to do this multiple times because every SteamOS upgrade will revert the BIOS.

Lastly, you have to remember that the Deck was designed to power an 800p screen. As PCGamesN explains, installing a higher resolution screen without more power could “irrecoverably cripple frame rates in already demanding games." Issues with powering a different screen are one of the reasons why Valve hasn’t released an OLED version of the Deck. According to Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais, “the idea that you could just swap in a new screen and be done - it would need more than that to be doable.”

The Deck is a highly customizable gaming device, both on the software and hardware level, but it does have its limits. If you’re interested in making changes as drastic as a screen replacement, make sure you know what you’re doing and understand the risks.

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

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

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

Bring back Ultra Games

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 'em up

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

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

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Sympathy for the Underdog

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

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

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

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

Tokyo Drifter

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

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

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

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

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

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

After delays, Starfield is actually ready

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

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

The post Starfield preloads start soon for Xbox and Windows, later for Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom has unleashed a "Mega Man Summer Pack" on Steam, and it's worth raving about. For $29.82 (normally $134.94) you're getting a massive chunk of Mega Man, spanning multiple Legacy Collections, Mega Man 11, and the Zero/ZX Legacy Collection. If you were to pick up the recent-ish Battle Network re-releases, you'd have a pretty good collection of many mainline Mega-games. You can cross-check that for yourself in the image below, taken from my Mega Man collection (which I started in 1990!).

[caption id="attachment_396110" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo by Destructoid[/caption]

Here are all the games you get with the Mega Man Summer Pack (with reviews!)

While the bundle technically states that you get "six items," it's actually six compilations you're picking up with the Summer Pack. It covers the vast majority of mainline Mega Man history, from the original 1987 classic to 2018's Mega Man 11. Note that like other Steam sales, if you already have access to any included games, the platform will deduct the ones you own from the total price.

And because we're Destructoid, we reviewed them all! Feel free to peruse the links below if you're looking to just pick up a few compilations, but the entire shebang is worth it if you can spare the coin.

• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man 11
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection

There's a larger Capcom End of Summer Sale going on if you're interested

Mega Man is arguably the best part of Capcom's "End of Summer Sale," but there's a bigger promotion going on at this landing page here (the summer is ending? Man life goes by fast).

Highlights include:

• Okami HD
• Capcom Arcade Stadium
• The Disney Afternoon Collection
• DuckTales Remastered
• Strider
• Dark Void Zero (for $2.49!)

The post The Mega Man Summer Pack on Steam is an insanely good deal appeared first on Destructoid.

If you haven't bought a Steam Deck because of the price, you're in some semblance of luck. It turns out that Valve is now selling refurbished models of its handheld gaming PC at discounted prices.

The information was confirmed on the official Steam Deck Twitter page recently. Indeed, if you head over to the store page itself, you can now get repaired versions of any of the three variations of the device.

https://twitter.com/OnDeck/status/1688972619880804352

According to the tweet, supplies are limited, but they have been "fully tested" and still come with a one-year warranty. At the time of writing, the store page is currently out of the 64GB model, so they do seem to be going fast.

Currently, they are priced at $319 (£279) for the 64GB version, $419 (£369) for 256GB, and $519 (£459) for 512GB.

Rumors, rumors, rumors

Funnily enough, it came to light that "certified refurbished" Steam Decks were going to go on sale before Valve actually confirmed it. As spotted by Wario64, an image was taken from the Steam store that showed the repaired Decks on sale for a reduced price.

These images were allegedly taken down pretty quickly, but it wasn't long after that the leak was then confirmed.

https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1688699624519847936

In any case, it's now come to fruition, so if you want a cheaper Deck, now seems to be the time.

The market grows

It's overall good news for those who have been waiting in the wings for the cost of a Steam Deck to go down. Of course, they have been included in recent Steam sale events, but now it seems like selling refurbished ones may be a more permanent fixture. If you don't mind a second-hand model that's been repaired, it could save you a decent amount of money.

On top of that, the mobile PC gaming market is now getting more competitive. With the ASUS ROG Ally having recently come out (which is more expensive but packs more up-to-date hardware than the Steam Deck), there's already an alternative out there.

It's also possible that Lenovo may be making its own device, so things may get crowded in this industry soon. As such, Valve may want to consider how it's going to stay on top. Selling refurbished Steam Decks is just one answer.

The post Valve is now selling refurbished Steam Decks at a discount appeared first on Destructoid.

Windows will almost certainly be the default operating system for more PC users and gamers. However, Linux seems to be slowly climbing the ranks, and it's now the second most popular OS on Steam, which could be owing to Valve's handheld device, the Steam Deck.

According to a report from Phoronix (as spotted by Ars Technica), Linux saw its share of the market increase by half a percent for June, giving it a 1.96% share of the operating system pie.

[caption id="attachment_395246" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Screenshot via Destructoid.[/caption]

This means, as of now, it's beaten macOS, which currently has a market share of 1.84%. Of course, both pale in comparison to Windows, with the anonymous Steam survey showing that the Microsoft OS dominates with a whopping 96.21% share.

Are more people turning to Linux then?

The one thing that needs to be taken into account is that much of this increase in Linux usage may well be down to the Steam Deck itself. The portable PC comes preinstalled with the SteamOS software, which is built on a custom version of Linux.

Ergo, anyone who buys a Deck to play games through their Steam account will be shown as being a Linux user. The version "SteamOS Holo" 64-bit was the most popular Linux version reported, which adds to the Steam Deck's case. It's also worth noting that not everyone will have taken the survey, but any discrepancies may not be significant anyway.

If anything, it kind of shows the popularity of the Steam Deck, that it's managed to influence the operating system market in this way. While companies like ASUS are offering their own alternatives, the Valve machine is still a force to be reckoned with in terms of mobile PC gaming.

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Those who have been paying attention to the gaming world these past few days won't be surprised to learn that Baldur's Gate 3 is currently doing quite well for itself. In fact, when last checked, the game had hit a pretty big milestone, showing more than 800,000 concurrent players on Steam.

To get a bit more specific, according to SteamDB (a website that tracks and monitors all things related to the Steam client), the new Baldur's Gate experienced a peak of 814,666 players within the last 24 hours.

https://youtu.be/XuCfkgaaa08

Bearing in mind, the game only came out last Thursday, so who knows whether this number could yet be beaten.

Take THAT, 97 other games

Going one step further, Baldur's Gate 3 is currently the third most-played game on Steam, just behind Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Given that these other titles were either developed or published by Valve, you can safely say that BG3 is the most non-Valve-played game at the moment.

Larian Studios' release had an impressive launch when it came out on August 3, scoring pretty big on PC. At the time of writing, it's sitting pretty with a Metacritic score of 95 and a user score of 9.2.

It's been nearly 23 years since the last major installment in the Baldur's Gate series (though we've had expansions and enhanced editions), so fans of the previous games have no doubt been massively anticipating this third entry.

It's hard to say whether this hype will continue, or whether we're seeing its peak already. After all, Sons of the Forest was a major overnight success, selling two million copies in just one day. Now, you don't really hear much from the co-op horror title. Then again, the Baldur's Gate name is likely to carry more weight in the AAA scene.

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A big Phasmophobia update is coming soon, and the good people over at Kinetic Games have been keeping us abreast on what we can expect. Recently, there have been more details about changes that will be happening to some of the major aspects and equipment of the co-op ghost hunting game.

In a post on Steam, the studio has unleashed number 13 of its "Dev Preview" update. This time, we're treated to what's going to be happening with the ID cards. While not receiving major changes, these will at least now display the platform you're playing on (handy, seeing as Phasmophobia is coming to consoles).

[caption id="attachment_395037" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via Kinetic Games.[/caption]

There's also a new edit button that will allow you to change the look of your ID card, and a Roman numeral will be placed before your level, indicating your Prestige (a kind-of record of the level you were at before the big reset).

Is there anybody there?

One major change is there are going to be three parabolic microphones instead of one. Much like some of the other equipment that's getting an overhaul, the mics will come in three tiers, with the second tier being similar to the one that's currently in the game.

The first parabolic microphone won't have a display screen like the others, but the idea of it muffling the sound around you so you can hear better could make this a much more immersive piece of kit.

As for when the big Phasmophobia update is coming, Kinetic did have to push the date back, and it's now due to start rolling out sometime this month. It should also be stated that anything the studio has been revealing is still a work-in-progress and may not represent the finished product.

If you haven't been keeping up with things surrounding the game, Phasmo is going through a big change, which will not only implement level resets for all players, but will be tweaking and adding a lot of new stuff. Exciting!

The post Phasmophobia dev preview outlines new ID cards and parabolic mics appeared first on Destructoid.

We've only just had a Steam event and now another one is on the way. Get ready for the Steam Visual Novel Fest, a celebration of games that put a lot of emphasis on story and narrative.

In a recent video uploaded to the Steam YouTube channel (with a few details over on the Steam website itself), there's a brief run down on what the fest will feature. For a whole week starting August 7, you'll be treated to a host of visual novel-style games, which includes discounts and demos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHlRY8V-Kig

Immerse yourself in stories

Some of the games that will be part of the event include the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney trilogy, for those of you who like a courtroom drama type of story. There's also Telltale's Walking Dead series, specifically the Definitive edition, which contains all four seasons.

Other titles included in the Steam Visual Novel Fest include The Pillars of Earth, the adaptation of Ken Follett's epic story set in 12th century England, as well as SFB Games' Tangle Tower, Toge Productions' Coffee Talk, and more.

Steam is well known for putting on plenty of festivals and events to keep us out of pocket throughout the year. Recently, we had the Stealth Fest which, as you can imagine, was a celebration of all things stealthy and clandestine.

Combined with all the sales that happen, it's a wonder any of us have any money left. While there are alternatives when it comes to PC digital storefronts, Steam is the OG, having dominated the market for 20 years. Honestly, with events like this, it's not really surprising that it continues to reign supreme.

The post Steam’s Visual Novel Fest will feature The Walking Dead, Phoenix Wright, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

The path through Baldur's Gate 3 is fraught with adventure, romance, peril, and plunder. It can seem a bit daunting, at first blush. Plus, for those who haven't played Dungeons & Dragons or even a CRPG like this in a while, there's a lot to familiarize yourself with. You might need some tips.

While I wouldn't call myself a D&D 5E expert, I've followed the Early Access of Baldur's Gate 3 for a while and, at the time of this writing, put a solid chunk of hours into the launch state of BG3. It's a massive, complex game with a lot of interlocking systems and little quality-of-life tips that, even if you are told them once, you might forget ten hours down the road. Well, that's why I'm here.

This is my bundle of tips for newcomers, and a handy reference for seasoned players. Whether it's a keyboard shortcut or an inconspicuous toggle, these are some tips I've kept noted and on-hand throughout my playtime in Baldur's Gate 3.

Highlight interactable items

My biggest quality-of-life tip for Baldur's Gate 3 is to simply hit Left-Alt more often. Pressing this key down highlights all the interactable objects in an area. It's pretty handy, whether you're outdoors in a busy environment or in the deep, deep depths of the Underdark.

More than that, though, it helps you get an idea of where to go next. If a gate is blocking your path, Left-Alt might highlight the lever you're overlooking. Or maybe there's an important note on a table you didn't notice. (To be fair, there are a lot of notes, and a lot of tables.) Any point at which you feel you haven't exhausted all options, hit that highlight button and poke around again.

Stealth-walk together

Sneaking around can be effective in Baldur's Gate 3, if you manage to execute it. Stealth attacks can get the drop on enemies, taking them unaware and giving you some advantage in a difficult encounter. That said, you'll want to make sure the whole party is on board with your plan.

While Larian implemented an auto-jump feature, that has companions automatically jump after your lead character if it's a safe leap, you'll need a special key for group stealth. Hitting Shift-C on the keyboard will put the whole party into sneaking-around mode. Keep in mind that this works with groups, too; so if you've stealthed one character after splitting the party and want to rejoin the group without raising the alarm, you can Shift-C before sending the main contingent over to link up.

Use turn-based mode to handle sticky situations

We've all stumbled into something unexpected once, twice, even four times before in Dungeons & Dragons. So when the traps and explosions start flying in this game, my tip to you is to use Baldur's Gate 3's Turn-Based Mode to simplify the decision-making process.

[caption id="attachment_394987" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

While you explore Baldur's Gate 3 in real time, there is always the option to hit the big, round button on the right-hand side of your RPG taskbar to swap into Turn-Based Mode. This institutes a turn-based structure on time, having the world and your own party act in roughly six-second increments or so. It might seem strange at first, but it's actually incredibly useful for precisely skirting around traps or obstacles, as well as sneaking around certain foes.

Hide helmets in the inventory screen

Whether you're a fan or detractor of funny hats, sometimes a scene gets a little intimate and you want the wizard hat to stop harshing the vibe. Whether the pointy cap stays on or not, there are options for those who want unobscured views of their Baldur's Gate 3 party.

While you have the party equipment screen open (TAB by default), you can hover the helmet slot in each members' equipment. You'll see a tiny icon appear above the box, which you can toggle. The settings are either On, Hide During Dialogue, or Hide. With this, you'll never have to endure a wizard hat ruining the mood again. Unless, of course, that is the sort of vibe you're looking for.

You can swap difficulty at any time

Baldur's Gate 3 can be pretty tough at times, and I wouldn't be surprised to see those less familiar with CRPGs hit some early walls in this game. There are three difficulty settings in Baldur's Gate 3, ranging from the story-driven Explorer to the combat Aggro Crag of Tactician.

The nice part is, you're not locked in to any of them. At any point during your campaign, you can open your Options menu and swap the difficulty to another level. This makes it very easy to throttle your Baldur's Gate 3 difficulty experience to your own particular taste. Bosses may have imposing spells and powerful equipment, but they don't have what you have: an Options menu.

Camp when you can

For those who haven't played much Dungeons & Dragons, you might not get why camping is so important. That's cool. I'm here to tell you: use the camp, and use it often.

First and foremost, it's your source for a Long Rest. These Long Rests will, if you have adequate supplies, restore your health and resources to full, and many spellcasting classes need to rest to restore spell slots for more spell-slinging. Long Resting also restores your Short Rest counter; you can do two small, immediate Short Rests between each Long Rest, like daytime naps. For some classes, this even refreshes a few (though not all) of your resources.

Secondly, the camp is where a lot of interpersonal story happens. Nighttime events often advance party members' plot lines forward. And if you see someone with an exclamation point over their head, that means they have something new and/or important to say to you. These are the companion moments that are very worthwhile, so make time to set up camp every so often to keep the story moving at a decent pace.

[caption id="attachment_394992" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

On top of all that, you will eventually have an NPC named Withers join your camp. Aside from being one of my absolute favorite NPCs in the game on personality alone, Withers also gives you some crucial boons. You can speak to him to recruit hireling (custom characters you can class out to fill party spots), bring fallen party members back from the dead, and reclass and respec your own characters. There's a lot of good back at camp.

Check the items in your inventory

While the previous Baldur's Gate 3 tip was for the D&D novices, this one's for the CRPG novices: check your inventory. Seriously. Pay attention to items you get. See if you can interact with them. Move them around, examine them, see what makes them tick.

[caption id="attachment_394990" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It might sound mundane or silly, but the number of times I've picked up something useful, like a tip for my current predicament, and not realized it was there until much later is slightly embarrassing. Reading notes, interacting with objects, and even opening those pouches and backpacks you pick up is extremely useful. Larian's tucked a decent amount of information away behind those interactions.

Save those Inspiration rolls

Every now and then, you'll do something really neat or interesting, and be rewarded an Inspiration die. In tabletop, this is how DMs can reward clever players. In Baldur's Gate 3, it feels like a mixture of that and discovering an easter egg.

[caption id="attachment_394832" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It's extra helpful because Inspiration can give you a second chance at missed rolls. Let's say you hit a Dexterity check that needs a 10 to clear, and your final tally is a 9. Using an Inspiration roll will give you a do-over. That's pretty valuable, even if you're just saving and reloading on failed rolls anyways. We all know each other does that.

ABS (Always be saving/shoving)

This is a two-fold Baldur's Gate 3 tip: ABS. For one part, that stands for Always Be Saving. Save often, especially after you win a tough roll or finish a fight. You don't want to botch a roll, get slammed off a cliffside, reload and be forced to win an arduous battle all over again. Yes, I am speaking from experience. You have tons of save slots and a quicksave option, so make use of them, especially since the autosave isn't so lenient.

But you also want to ABS: Always Be Shoving. More specifically, always use your bonus actions. Each turn, you can move and act. But you can also undertake a bonus action, which can range from chugging a potion or using your class proficiency to take an extra swing, to just plain shoving someone. If you've got an option, use it. Worst-case scenario is you gain nothing, and best case is knocking someone prone or down a chasm. Which leads me to my last tip...

Use the environment, control the crowd

The Divinity: Original Sin lineage is alive and well in Baldur's Gate 3 combat, which puts a similar emphasis on interactions. This means environments can become rapidly dangerous, to your advantage or disadvantage. Characters can be shoved into bottomless pits, grease can be set ablaze, and ice can knock you on your butt like you're in a fail compilation.

With an angry enemy barging down your door, you might want to just start blastin' at them. But frequently, the environment can provide an advantage, putting up obstacles and disadvantageous ground to impede their offensive. Seriously, Grease can get you through a lot of early encounters. And spells like Entangle can make hazardous areas for foes.

The post 10 useful tips for venturing forth in Baldur’s Gate 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Now that we know when Payday 3 is coming out (September 21, if you needed a reminder), a lot of you PC gamers are going to be wondering whether your system will handle it. It's a modern FPS, after all, but as it turns out, the hardware spec doesn't appear as though it'll be too much of a struggle for most rigs.

According to the game's Steam page, Payday 3 won't push the boat out, especially in terms of graphics. If you're just aiming for the minimum requirements, you'll need at least an Intel Core i5-9400F (or the AMD equivalent) and 16GB of RAM. You should also get by with no more than the 4GB power of an Nvidia GTX 1650.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIUlQGVsr-I

Obviously, the recommended specs are a bit higher, but even then they don't seem too bad. For the CPU, you'll be wanting an i7-9700K, and you'll be able to get away with an Nvidia GTX 1080 (or, again, whatever Team Red's version of that is).

The full Payday 3 PC system requirements

No RTX card required

For a AAA shooter published by the likes of Deep Silver, you'd be forgiven for thinking the PC requirements would be much higher. It's probably worth saying that Payday 3 is still in development, but there's no reason to suggest what's listed on Steam will change. As it stands, most graphics cards from the GTX 1000 series onwards should suffice.

Given that, according to the latest Steam hardware survey, there's a heavy mix of GPUs, these system requirements should be within easy reach of a lot of you. The aforementioned GTX 1650 accounted for the most usage for June (5.67%), and there are a few PC gamers who are said to be using 3000 series products, so it should be a breeze to run the game for many.

The post Payday 3’s PC specs don’t look too taxing appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Stealth Fest sale is now live through July 31. In particular, this festival highlights games with sneaking in mind. You'll find discounts aplenty, as well as some exclusive demos for upcoming games. Steam users interested in stickers can also claim a free sticker for every day of the event.

After looking through the sale, there are a ton of Ubisoft games discounted for this event. Pretty much every game in the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy, and Watch Dogs franchises are on sale for 60% off or more. I don't think I've ever quite realized just how much Ubisoft likes making stealthy games. Thanks, Steam!

Overall there are some pretty decent sales in here with most discounts being at least 75% off or more. To commemorate the start of the Stealth Fest, Steam has sneakily released a trailer for the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LzmKFJgwWg

I've gone through and found some of the more notable deals as part of the Steam Steath Fest.

Steam Stealth Fest notable sales

• A Plague Tale: Innocence— $7.99 (80% off)
• Assassin's Creed Odyssey — $11.99 (80% off)
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla — $14.99 (75% off)
• Batman: Arkham Knight — $11.99 (80% off)
• Far Cry 5 — $8.99 (85% off)
• Far Cry 6 — $14.99 (75% off)
• Generation Zero — $7.49 (70% off)
• Hitman 3 — $34.99 (50% off)
• Little Nightmares II — $9.89 (67% off)
• Sniper Elite 5 — $16.99 (66% off)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint— $11.99 (80% off)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Reson Wildlands — $9.99 (80% off)
• Watch Dogs: Legion — $8.99 (85% off)

Even if none of these titles tickle your fancy, there are a ton of games currently on sale for the Steam Stealth Fest. You can view the full list of discounted games here.

The post Stealth Fest sneaks onto Steam with some big discounts appeared first on Destructoid.

And I believe it

According to Remnant 2 Principal Designer Ben Cureton, no one has seen or obtained 100% of everything the Souls-like has to offer. My 30-some hours in the game are casual numbers to some, but even still I believe this claim.

"For those that love secrets and exploring, no one has seen or obtained 100% of everything #Remnant2 has to offer," Cureton tweeted. "I'm talking about hardcore players with over 400+ hours, reviewers that had early access, even our own internal developers. No one. Remnant 2 has secrets within secrets within secrets. We made sure obtaining 100% Achievements is very player-friendly and then went far beyond that to keep the game rewarding long after you've hit that goal."

https://twitter.com/verytragic/status/1682061381141446657

Randomization probably plays a bit of a role in this

Almost everything in Remnant 2 is random. Even at the beginning of the game, the first world you adventure to is not linear. Therefore, some of the secrets in the game probably require specific parameters to be met under the right conditions. Honestly, it's one of the things that makes Remnant 2 so great. Every run is different, creating the opportunity for infinite replayability. Some of the maps also have their own unique side-zones that may hold some clues on discovering these unseen secrets.

Even though no one has seen everything just yet, I wonder how long this will hold up once the game releases. As of now, there's still a pretty small pool of players that have played.  I'm sure there will be some explorers and completionists that team up to try and hunt down everything there is to find.

Remnant 2 launches on July 25 on PC, PlayStation  5, and Xbox Series X|S. Those that pre-order the Ultimate Edition get early access and jump into the game on July 21.

The post No one has seen 100% of everything in Remnant 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Teach a man to fish

Sega Bass Fishing is a classic arcade game from 1997 that, as the title suggests, has players pulling out their rods, bait, and fishing lines. For a limited time, Sega is giving the game away for free on Steam, and there aren't too many hoops to jump through to acquire it.

[caption id="attachment_393059" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Sega.[/caption]

How to get Sega Bass Fishing for free

Since its release, Sega Bass Fishing has been ported to several systems, including the Dreamcast, Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. It's a dated game, so the minimum spec requirements won't be taxing any modern PCs.

The only thing you need to do to grab your free copy of Sega Bass Fishing on Steam is to sign up for Sega's newsletter. There isn't too much personal information needed except your name, birth date, country of residence, and email address.

Before submitting the sign-up form, remember to tick the box at the bottom to indicate that you want a copy of the game. You have until July 31 to sign-up for the game. The codes for it will be mailed out starting August 1.

Interested in more classic arcade games? Grab the Dreamcast Collection bundle on Steam. It comes with a host of nostalgia-inducing titles including Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure 2.

The post Sega Bass Fishing is free via newsletter appeared first on Destructoid.

Gather your party

I've taken only a few steps into the darkened hallways of Demon Lord Reincarnation, and already, I know I'm in trouble. My first battle is tense and brutal; I knew it would be. But as my party members start to drop like flies against the horrors of only the first floor of this godforsaken land, I start to get it. This is going to be difficult, punishing even. I shouldn't get attached to anything. Because it's going to take a lot to make it down to the Demon Lord.

Demon Lord Reincarnation is the latest RPG from Graverobber Foundation, a team that's made a number of throwback role-playing experiences. This one in particular conjures up memories of Wizardry, in particular. It's a first-person dungeon crawler where you command a party of adventurers, heading down into the final resting place of the Demon Lord Leinad. Long ago, a group of heroes defeated Leinad and sealed him underground, and a maze was built up over it. Now, the seal is broken, monsters are swarming, and it looks like the Demon Lord is intent on resurrecting.

So, upon starting Demon Lord Reincarnation, you're given a selection of adventurers to pick from, building up a party of four to venture down. It's only five floors. How hard could it be?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UCfkewb6Kw

Time for some hubris

Well, after losing two party members in the first fight, I got my answer pretty quick.

The first thing to know about Demon Lord Reincarnation is that it's not exactly a cheerful adventure. You can, and will, lose party members. That happy Valkyrie joining you, cheerfully believing they can help stop the great evil? Yeah, she's dead now. In fact, I had to fight her reanimated corpse on a later run. Yes, the Graverobber Foundation exhumed my dead party member and threw the reanimated corpse back at me in a random battle, with all their powers and skills still intact. It was both a wonderful and terrifying surprise.

[caption id="attachment_392651" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Every party member hails from a different class, with various weapon and magic types that can have different effects in battle. At first, you might not notice this; but after your three swordfighters fail to put a dent in one beefy enemy, you'll want to consider diversifying your damage pool.

Every turn, you can commit a fighter to defend themselves or use an action, which costs varying amounts of skill points. Everyone has a basic skill that costs nothing, but during battle, they can have a spark of inspiration and learn a new move.

[caption id="attachment_392653" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

These abilities are crucial. They're often not only useful for damage, but add much needed utility for surviving against the brutal waves of enemies in Demon Lord Reincarnation. Stunning, tripping, and even gouging a skeleton's eye out—yes that works, don't ask me about the logistics—will stop those swarms of nasty monsters from turning your optimistic party into gruesome maze décor.

Knowledge is power

It's at this point that I'll stress the same thing the developer stresses: read the manual. Every copy of Demon Lord Reincarnation comes with access to a little PDF manual, and it is filled with useful, borderline essential information. How do I know this? I played for an hour without realizing you can rest in the maze. Learn from my mistakes.

Either way, it's not all doom-and-gloom. Over time, you'll build up power. Characters get noticeably stronger the more they survive. They don't really level up in a conventional sense, but gain extra stat points as they overcome battles. Worse odds mean greater rewards. So maybe leading your party into battle against a swarm of butchers and imps isn't a terrible idea. Anyone who survives the meat grinder will be stronger for it, right? And the replacements you can recruit at the campfire gradually scale to be within your range, too.

[caption id="attachment_392654" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Graverobber Foundation[/caption]

A real appeal of Demon Lord Reincarnation is its adherence to the classic first-person dungeon crawling, though. And by that, I mean there is no auto-mapping. Unlike more modern entries, you'll need to manually track your location and create your own map of the dungeon if you want to remember where you are. Or, you can just let yourself get blissfully lost. Either way, the dark, gloomy vibes of the corridors create a delightfully dreary ambiance.

[caption id="attachment_392652" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Graverobber Foundation[/caption]

Surviving the dungeon

I've only played a little bit of Demon Lord Reincarnation, but I can't really seem to get it out of my head. There's the incredible art, making use of an eerie dithered style much like another indie RPG favorite of mine, World of Horror. (It actually uses art from Toriotto, through an archive the artist has approved for other commercial projects.) It's punishing, but in the right amount, like a particularly good hot sauce. The way it looks back on first-person dungeon crawling and adds a bit of its own flair is really compelling.

But Demon Lord Reincarnation also feels focused, laser-set on what it's trying to do. There is a task at hand, and you'll need to slowly understand and learn its systems to overcome it. Sure, the descent to the Demon Lord is not going to be easy. But it's the challenge that makes it feel rewarding. Demon Lord Reincarnation's maze may seem simple at first, but those tiles and doors hold a world of adventure and challenge ahead. I'm pretty eager to head back down them.

The post Demon Lord Reincarnation is a dark throwback to graph-paper RPGs appeared first on Destructoid.

The veil between launchers thins

Blizzard is bridging the gap and bringing some of its PC games over to Steam. The publisher announced that select games will appear on Valve's launcher, starting with Overwatch 2 hitting Steam on August 10.

The free-to-play team shooter will launch with a few Steam tie-ins. Namely, there will be some Steam Achievements and the ability to invite Steam friends into matches. Players on Steam can also match and play against Battle.net users too, in case you were worried about that. You will, however, still need a Battle.net account to play Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2's Steam launch also coincides with the release of Invasion, the seasonal update that will add Blizzard's pared-down and reduced PvE plans.

While Overwatch 2 is the start, more games from Blizzard are headed to Valve's storefront. "As far as what’s next for Blizzard on Steam, we’ll be sharing more about potential other games coming to the platform when the time is right," reads a blog post from the company. Obvious hopes would lie in big games like Diablo IV, though I'd love to see some classics come over too.

Watch over me

The news comes at a tumultuous time for Overwatch 2 in general. Alongside the aforementioned scaled-back PvE plans, the hero shooter is declining. Activision Blizzard's Q2 2023 earnings report says engagement and player investment in Overwatch 2 has declined "sequentially" in the quarter. Its hopes seem to be that the Invasion update will bolster the game.

But on the esports side, the Overwatch League is also headed for a crossroads; teams are set to vote on an updated operating agreement, putting the fate of the league in the team owners' hands. League commissioner told The Verge that Overwatch will remain committed to a "competitive ecosystem in 2024 and beyond." But Activision Blizzard is also laying off workers in its esports department, per The Verge. We'll see if a seasonal update and Steam launcher appearance can right the ship.

The post Blizzard is bringing some PC games to Steam, starting with Overwatch 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

How HD will the Lombax be?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is finally coming to PC via Steam on July 26. In preparation for the launch, the team responsible for the port posted the adventure platformer's PC specs in a PlayStation Blog post. With the port, Nixxes Software is also adding some new features to enhance the game.

In an effort to enable quick loading and instant transition between areas, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will include DirectStorage. This technology allows NVMe Solid State Drives, SATA Solid State Drives, and some traditional hard disk drives to quickly decompress and load textures.

Furthermore, the PC port will also feature Ray-Traced Ambient Occlusion with multiple quality levels to choose from. Finally, Nixxes Software has implemented Intel's XeGTAO technology.

“XeGTAO generates a very high-resolution ambient occlusion that shows even the smallest details in geometry,” says Nixxes Software Graphics Programmer Menno Bil. “Overall, the output quality of XeGTAO is very high and results in a pleasant look.”

[caption id="attachment_392284" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nixxes Software[/caption]

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PC System Requirements

These are the recommended system requirements for all the graphics settings from Very Low to High with Ray-tracing.

1. Very Low (Minimum)
   • Average Performance: 720p @ 30 FPS
   • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470
   • CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100
   • RAM: 8GB
   • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
   • Storage: 75 GB HDD Space (SSD Recommended)
2. Medium (Recommended)
   • Average Performance: 1080p @ 60 FPS
   • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700
   • CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
   • RAM: 16GB
   • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
   • Storage: 75 GB SSD space
3. High
   • Average Performance: 1440p @ 60 FPS (4K @ 30 FPS)
   • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 6800
   • CPU: Intel Core i5-11400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600
   • RAM: 16GB
   • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
   • Storage: 75 GB SSD space
4. High (with Amazing Ray Tracing)
   • Average Performance: 1440p @ 60FPS (4K @ 30 FPS)
   • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
   • CPU: Intel Core i5-11600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
   • RAM: 16GB
   • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
   • Storage: 75 GB SSD space
5. High (with Ultimate Ray Tracing)
   • Average Performance: 4K @ 60 FPS
   • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
   • CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
   • RAM: 32GB
   • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
   • Storage: 75 GB SSD space

The post also states that details regarding ray-tracing support for AMD GPUs will be coming soon.

The post Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PC specs revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

Steam Deck players can rejoice

BattleBit Remastered is one of the latest indie hits to catch the attention of the gaming world. The online multiplayer FPS game is set in environments that are nearly fully destructible, adding to the chaos and fun.

Recently, the developers announced that new anti-cheat software would be patched into the game. This caused some concern regarding the Steam Deck, though it appears the worries were unjustified.

[caption id="attachment_389574" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via SgtOkiDoki[/caption]

BattleBit Remastered adds anti-cheat software

The FPS indie game has been using Easy Anti-Cheat, which is convenient because it is compatible with Proton, which is what Valve uses to run Windows apps on the Linux-based OS. This setup has been shaken by the announcement that BattleBit Remastered will be using FaceIT instead.

The worries stem from the fact that FaceIT isn't typically compatible with Linux. However, developers have confirmed that a new version of FaceIT is on the way, and it will support the Steam Deck. The game will be the first to use the latest version of FaceIT, which should be excellent news for fans playing on the handheld.

Anti-cheat software has its benefits, as it helps to ensure players can compete in a fair environment free of hackers. This is something desperately needed, as BattleBit Remastered has been subject to DDOS attacks in the past. Nevertheless, anti-cheat software does come with its downsides, often in the form of compatibility issues and high CPU usage.

BattleBit Remastered has found incredible success, selling almost two million copies in just two weeks. Continued compatibility with the Deck will help the game retain the great momentum it has built up.

The post BattleBit Remastered’s new anti-cheat won’t leave Steam Deck behind appeared first on Destructoid.

Recover lost memories in Relic Hunters Legend

There are many looter shooters on the market, but the upcoming game Relic Hunters Legend manages to stand out thanks to its adorably cartoonish visuals. A closed beta will be made available soon, giving the public a taste of what Rogue Snail is cooking up. Here's everything you need to know.

[caption id="attachment_391976" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Relic Hunters Legend's Closed Beta

Relic Hunters Legend is an upcoming online top-down looter-shooter set to release on Steam. It features action RPG elements along with fast-paced gameplay. There will also be plenty of customizable weapons and powerful equipment to have fun with.

A single-player campaign will be available. You'll also be able to enjoy the online co-op with your friends or meet new players in missions designed for four players. Players worldwide can sign up for Relic Hunters Legend's closed beta on Steam.

https://youtu.be/EnCzK5hq9SA

Relic Hunters Legend's closed beta begins on July 20 at 9:00 AM CST, and it will run until July 24 at 9:00 AM CST. It's free, and it will feature a variety of co-op and single-player missions. Feedback from the closed beta will be used by developers.

[caption id="attachment_391977" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

What is Relic Hunters Legend About?

The story takes place in a world where a villain named Duke Ducan has convinced everyone that he is responsible for everything good that has ever happened. It is up to Pinkyy and the rest of the Hunters to find relics and restore the memories of the past. If you want to delve deeper into the story, a Relic Hunters Legend comic is available.

You can play as one of the Hunters, and they each have a unique set of abilities. Hunters include Ace the pilot, who is a member of the Physical Support class, and Pinkyy the leader, who belongs to the Physical Tank class.

Though the game has yet to receive a release date, interested players can add the title to their wishlist on Steam.

The post Relic Hunters Legend gets a closed beta in July appeared first on Destructoid.

Seal of approval

Valve's team-based shooter Team Fortress 2 isn't exactly the most grim, serious game. While it centers around mercs fighting each other for control of objectives, its tone has certainly been light-hearted. And that carries over to the latest, community-driven update that brought an adorable seal into Team Fortress 2.

As part of the Summer 2023 update, which is seeing Team Fortress 2 hit some new player count records, there are 14 new maps to play. One of these, Selbyen, is a Player Destruction map with a simple objective: be the team that feeds the most fish to the seal.

While carnage ensues, players can pick up and give buckets of fish to the seal that will routinely hop through the center of the map. Really, it should be obvious how the fanbase has reacted to an adorable plump seal hopping its way to the ocean. Everyone loves it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viRaGizKxf4

There has, of course, already been fan art of the adorable oceanic mammal.

https://twitter.com/_AltoArcadevere/status/1679507150950006784

As many have concluded, the seal is a fantastic addition to Team Fortress 2. Thankfully, the seal is invincible to all the explosives and ballistics flying around the arena, too. The seal is a vibe one can aspire to, honestly; peaceful, cheerful, vibing, in its lane.

https://twitter.com/heavyfortres/status/1679304909437501440

The seal update

So yes, players have taken to calling the Team Fortress 2 Summer 2023 update the "seal update." It's worth noting that this is a community addition to the game; while Valve put out the call and selected the new additions, Selbyen is a map created by TF2 community creators FGD5, Lo-fi Longcat, Rhamkin, bakscratch, and Zythe. You can see their Steam Workshop page here, where players are congratulating them and praising the seal.

There's a bunch of other neat stuff in the Summer 2023 update too, aside from the adorable seal. 14 new community maps, including some in the asymmetrical VSH (Versus Saxton Hale) mode, are in. There are also new community-made taunts in the store and 25 new community-contributed items in the Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case, as well as some War Paints and Unusual effects. It's a lot for an old game. But it's also a testament to how the TF2 community has stuck with it over the years.

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The boys are back in town

Team Fortress 2 got a surprisingly large update this week, and it seems like players are flocking to it. Steam charts show Team Fortress 2 hitting an all-time player high following the Summer 2023 update.

Judging by Steam tracking site SteamDB, Valve's team-based shooter climbed well above its previous player count records with the Summer 2023 addition to Team Fortress 2. Anecdotally, it seems like a lot of people are hopping back on, too.

What's in the content update, though? It's actually a lot of community content. A while back, Valve had put out a call for Steam Workshop submissions for a seasonal update. The Summer 2023 update looks to be the fruits of the community's labor, bringing in 14 new maps and even fully incorporating a game mode, VSH—Versus Saxton Hale—an asymmetrical battle between a team and one souped-up Saxton.

Hopefully, this kind of renewed interest in Team Fortress 2 could see the classic game get some more attention. While it's a big update, it's also a primarily community-developed one. And the community clearly still loves this game, even through all the years. It's hard  to think of many other (non-MMO) games that could have this kind of fervent resurgence.

Here's the content updates for the Summer 2023 update. For the full patch notes, including the general gameplay and backend updates, head here.

Team Fortress 2 Summer 2023 update patch notes

Summer 2023!

• Featuring 14 new community maps: Sharkbay, Rotunda, Phoenix, Cashworks, Venice, Reckoner, Sulfur, Hardwood, Pelican Peak, Selbyen, VSH Tiny Rock, VSH Distillery, VSH Skirmish, and VSH Nucleus
• Added the Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case
  • Contains 25 new community-contributed items
• Added 6 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store
  • Taunt: Killer Joke
  • Taunt: Star-Spangled Strategy
  • Taunt: The Head Doctor
  • Taunt: Tuefort Tango
  • Taunt: The Road Rager
  • Taunt: The Killer Signature
• Added 20 new community-created Unusual effects
  • 12 new effects for Unusual hats
  • 8 new effects for Unusual taunts
• Added the Summer 2023 War Paint Case
  • Contains 10 new community-created War Paints that make-up the Summer 2023 Collection
  • Has a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus item
• All cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Summer 2023 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the Summer event. This does not include crates.
• The Summer event runs through September 15th, 2023

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Flipped for your pleasure

If you've been keeping a close eye on the Steam Next Fest (a triannual event that gives developers a chance to showcase their upcoming games), you'll have seen a host of demos go live. As it turns out, there's been one particular demonstration that's stood out above the rest, and that's House Flipper 2.

If you haven't had a chance to check out the original game, you're missing out, especially if you're into methodical, job-based simulations. The sequel is due for release sometime in 2023, and a recent update on Steam shows that not only was House Flipper 2 the most downloaded demo of the recent Next Fest event, but it came top ahead of Lies of P.

https://youtu.be/l8ySGZM6NnA

Now, maybe you're not overly familiar with Lies of P, but given that it's described as a Bloodborne/Soulslike game that tells the story of Pinocchio, it's gained quite a bit of interest. However, Steam fans felt otherwise, as they seemed to prefer Frozen District's home renovation title. Other games that feature on the Next Fest list of most played demos include the reimagining of the 2002 Adobe Flash game Alien Hominid.

Homes under the hammer

House Flipper 2 was announced a year ago, but it was just recently that the demo went live. Much like the original, the sequel tasks you with purchasing run-down properties that you can then fix, redecorate, and hopefully flip for a profit.

It's part of a growing list of games that take what would otherwise be considered a job and turn it into a surprisingly fun simulation. Titles like Farming Simulator, PowerWash Simulator, and Lawn Mower Simulator (are you sensing a pattern yet?) have enjoyed their own successes thanks to their more chill gameplay mechanics.

If you want to get to grips with the original, you can get it pretty cheap on Steam at the moment. That's good because you're going to need to be good with money when it comes to renovating dilapidated homes.

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